In the Shadows
by Optimus Magnus
Summary: Tonks is challenged by Snape to bring something useful to the Order of the Phoenix.  HarryTonks and crossover with Mortal Kombat
1. Chapter 1

Tonks approached her parent's house in middle London with a huge weight on her mind. Snape had challenged what she brought to the Order, other than a clumsy bodyguard. Engaging mouth before brain she said she could bring two powerful men in on their side. Now she had to live up to that boast.

'Damn it' she cursed and knocked on the door.

A few minutes later, some steps and a click got Tonks' attention back to the matter at hand. Her mother Andromeda opened the door, her own hair brown, with a few greys showing from her hairnet. Andromeda was slightly taller but less muscular than Tonks. She broke into a wide beaming smile.

"Dora! Good to see you hun" she said and pulled her daughter into a powerful hug.

Tonks smiled; she'd almost forgotten what he mother's hugs were like. Returning the embrace she patted her mother's back with a smile. Andromeda hurried her daughter into the lounge room and set her down, getting a biscuit tin from the kitchen for a snack.

"Mother, the last time you ate those biscuits, I'm informed, was when you were pregnant with me. Something I should know?" she asked with a grin.

"Nymphadora, how could you ask such a thing of your mother!" although the use of the full name irked her, Tonks saw the humorous glint in her mother's eyes.

"Well, lovely, look. I need to speak with dad, is he around?" Tonks asked.

"Yes he is, he's out back building the new greenhouse" she said and led her daughter to the sun room that Ted had built.

"Why don't you magic one up?" Tonks asked.

"Because your father would see it as a slight to his masculinity honey, and, between us girls, there is no finer sight than a sweaty, topless working man" her mother gave a grin capable of causing a bishop's briefs to spontaneously combust.

"I appreciate the concept. However, that is my father out there, eww" Tonks made a face, but her mind wandered to a similar sight she saw earlier that month.

"Well, I'll call him in and ask him to put on a shirt okay dear" Andromeda patted her daughter's head as Tonks went to make tea.

Ted came inside, with a shirt, and gave his daughter a big hug. Ted Tonks was a big man, nearly six foot eight. He'd served in the British Army, in posts in Northern Ireland and even served in Falklands in 1982 – 1983. With several martial art titles also under his belt, it was easy to see where Tonks could get her more forceful behavioural traits.

How've you been dad?" she asked.

"Good dear, your mother keeps me in line fairly well. I in turn beat up the burglars and, other individuals" he said with a low tone.

Tonks smirked. Though her father less so, her mother was always open about her magical powers. Most times it only caused some initial fear, soon abated. However, some of her mother's more, religious associates had stopped speaking; one even threatened to fire bomb her house. Once, a couple of the men had showed up with placards outside their house. Unfortunately for them, it was Ted's poker night. And magic or not, even the devout don't argue with a bunch of whiskey drinking infantry.

'Dad's friends. I better get this unpleasant business over with quickly' steeling her resolve, Tonks spoke.

"Mum, I need to speak with dad, it's a sensitive matter. Boy Who Lived related even" she had throw that bone, her mother deserved it.

"Oh, I see. Um, well, I think I need to have a lay down" Andromeda made a quick exit.

"Dad, I really, really need your help" Tonks said once her mother was out of earshot.

"And why do you need to get An to leave the room?" he was very confused.

"I need to see Hanzo and Ray" Tonks said two names that Ted hadn't heard in a long time.

Tonks saw her father go a little stiff and get a far away look in his eyes. Her own eyes went to a photo of her father, mother, herself as a baby and a pair of Asian men, grinning in an almost Sirius like manner. Hanzo was her godfather, and Ray was a friend of Hanzo's. Both of them met her father while he was in Northern Ireland.

"Nymphadora, this had better be good" Ted said with a tight grin.

"Believe me, if this wasn't the last option possible, I would just go up to my room and take a nap before one of mum's dinners. However, a storm is coming dad, the Wizarding World is on the brink of its own Second World War" Tonks explained.

"It's truly that bad?" Ted wasn't kept up to date of things in the family's alternative community; mainly because he found it too depressing.

"Yes dad, he is coming back to power; he's very powerful and he's got a lot of followers. I'm asking you, from one soldier to another, to help me by allowing me to get some good reinforcements" Tonks implored.

"Oh boy, I need a drink. An picked me up some very old Fire Whiskey from a shop in Diagon Alley, I don't think any single malt stuff will seem as good any more. Want a glass?" he asked.

"Sorry dad, semi-on duty, I need to find Hanzo and Ray. Please, help me" again she implored her father.

Ted closed his eyes as he took a dram of the Fire Whiskey; the burning sensation was quick, because of having drunk it before. He rubbed his closed eyes and then reached into a small box behind his booze bottles. From it he removed a small piece of paper. Returning to his seat, he handed it to Tonks.

"Here, that was their last known address; it's about five miles from here. I got to warn you Dora, Hanzo isn't how you'll remember him, and neither is Ray" he said.

"I know, but I miss Hanzo and Ray sometimes dad, you forget they became my friends too" she replied softly.

"I know. Better go, if they're not there you'll have some serious detective work on your hands" he said with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry I had to ask this of you dad, but, it is an emergency" she said, hugging him.

"Darling, you've never asked for anything from me unless you really needed it, that's why I'm as scared as I am" he gave Tonks a kiss on her forehead, ruffling her pink hair too.

"Tell mum I'm sorry I couldn't stay, but, you know how it is" she said, heading for the door.

"Yeah, yeah I do" Ted looked at his feet as the door slammed shut.

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In North London, Tonks found herself in a rough and tumble neighbourhood; teenagers' not in school, drug dealers and other assorted hoodlums. There was one area though, that seemed to radiate a kind of, safe feeling. Following her instincts, Tonks made her way towards it.

Entering the large estate she saw kids playing on the grounds. Sandpits, swings. It was all there, and it wasn't damaged or graffiti ridden. No syringes from careless or scared and lonely drug users. It was clean, and warm to the eyes. Her roaming gaze caught a solid built man in a tracksuit and an iRiver plugged into his ears. Tonks walked towards him until he looked up at her: his eyes were pale, blue the same colour as glacial ice.

"I thought you stayed in the shadows, never coming out but to do your thing" Tonks said with a grin.

"Hey Nym, how's it going" he drawled lazily.

"Wotcher Ray, not bad, yourself?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"Been keeping this little bit of London clean, you know, the usual" he said with a grin.

"And Hanzo, how is he?" she asked tentatively.

"He's been, well, not so great Tonks, he's lost a lot. Linda and Tak, they were killed after he was" Ray said.

"Hanzo's dead?" Tonks asked incredulously.

"Yes and no, come on, come with me. He may not recognise you. You won't recognise him most likely too" Ray sadly started leading her up the stairs of the estate.

Tonks spent the time going up the stairs contemplating the bizarre thing that Ray had told her. It didn't make sense at all. Tonks had only met Linda and Tak once, but Hanzo had loved them dearly according to Ray. Soon they came to a door with a swipe card. Ray took a small plastic card from his pocket and swiped it. With a beep the door opened.

"Final warning Tonks, he's not as he once was" Ray said before going in.

Tonks made a grim face and followed.

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Harry Potter found himself waking from a most peculiar dream. _He was in a large open field, older than he was now with a woman sitting beside him, resting her head on his lap. He'd been stroking her hair which seemed to shimmer between different colours where he caressed it. His other hand was intertwined with hers and resting on a large bulge in her stomach. The woman turned her head up towards him, smiling. It was Tonks._

'Bloody hell' Harry's body shot up of its own volition and he found himself sweating and aroused. Not exactly the most brilliant of ways to wake up.

"Harry mate, you okay?" Ron asked from his own bed.

"Yeah, how'd your date with Luna go last night?" he asked.

"Was good fun, and thanks for the advice man. That, 'fair' thingy was a good call" Ron said with a thumbs up.

"She liked it then?" Harry was pleased for Ron.

"Yeah, and it appears that it's a rule of the universe that if you win your date a stuffed toy, you get a kiss" Ron said with a, soft smile.

"Spiffing mate, I'm gonna take a shower" Harry grabbed his towels and other toiletries.

"Clean or Calm?" Ron asked.

"Duel Conspiracy" Harry answered with a groan.

Harry and Ron, being the young men that they were had developed code to describe many things about themselves. Clean or Calm was a question on why the shower was being taken: to actually clean the body, or calm it down. Harry's answer of Duel Conspiracy meant it was both.

Sufficiently clean and calmed, Harry returned to the room he shared with Ron and got changed, he was alone as Ron went to the shower as he exited. Dressing in some casual jeans and polo shirt; Harry headed down towards the kitchen in 12 Grimmuld Place to see what Dobby was doing for breakfast. The House Elf's presence was due to Mrs. Weasley being absent from kitchen work.

"Good morning Harry, did you sleep well?" Lupin asked, he was seated reading the Daily Prophet.

"Better than most nights, that's for sure" he answered and sat down.

"Good, no dreams then?" Lupin pressed.

"No nightmares if that's what you mean" Harry said buttering his toast.

"Oh, a good dream then?" Lupin got that, dare Harry think it, wolfish look in his eyes again.

"Not sure, I mean it wasn't unpleasant but it was shocking, not sexually before you even go there" Harry cut Lupin off at the pass.

"Then what?" his friend asked.

"It was like, a vision and a dream at the same time. I felt so peaceful I was almost afraid I'd just died in my sleep and idled off to Heaven" he explained a little.

"Was the dream personal, Harry?" Lupin asked; rolling his eyes.

"A little" he replied.

"Then perhaps you'd better stop dancing around and tell me to bugger off before I eventually weed it out of you" Lupin sniggered as Harry realised that he'd revealed the information without thinking.

'It's almost as if I want him to know what it was about' Harry thought, chewing his food slower than usual.

Ron strut, nay, _levitated_ down the stairs towards the breakfast table, thanking Dobby on the way for the breakfast. He eased himself into a chair and began tucking in on the bacon and eggs, toast and sausage. Lupin simply watched the two boys. Right now they were alone at Grimmuld Place together, Mr and Mrs. Weasley were at the Burrow, Moody was out and Snape was off doing his spy thing. The others were coming and going as they needed.

"Where's Tonks, Lupin?" Harry asked.

"Went on a little fact finding mission I think" he said, putting down the Prophet and rubbing his eyes.

"When are Hermione and Ginny due back?" Ron asked.

"Not sure, the two love birds are out at the moment. No doubt their PDA will give every single heterosexual male in Hogwarts enough fantasy material to last all year" Lupin said, knowing it was an easy way to get a rise out of Ron.

"If you weren't bigger or scarier than me Lupin, I'd hit you" Ron said, swallowing an egg.

The somewhat, unorthodox relationship that had blossomed between Hermione and Ginny had given all parties a real shock. Mrs. Weasley had fainted and had then since refused to talk to her daughter. Harry responded by banning her from the house, Mr. Weasley was still welcome, and even Dumbledore agreed that until Molly saw past the unbecoming prejudice, the ban stood. Ron was fine after a few Fire Whiskeys, kindly administered by his brothers Bill and Charlie. Ginny's brothers couldn't really have given a toss whom the girl dated, as long as she was happy.

"Besides, makes us less worry about irresponsible behaviour on her part, now we only have to worry about Ron" Bill had said with a smirk: Ron had thrown a pillow at him for that.

"So lads, what is on today's menu" Lupin asked, looking between the two young men.

"Not sure, might go and see Luna again, she may be a bit spacey but she's a lot of fun" Ron said as he got up from the table.

"Might work on my potions essay, Snape's been breathing down my neck about it, and that's a scary thought" Harry said.

Before anyone could do anything else, Tonks came through the front door; accompanied by two other people. One of them was Asian and dressed in some wizard robes, the other one was totally undercover in a large cloak. At first glance Harry thought he was a Death Eater, but saw no mask.

"Ah Tonks, who are these two gentlemen?" Lupin asked; his wand level with them.

"Remember I opened my big mouth and said I'd bring some people to give Harry a handle on some unarmed combat, and help us too?" she asked, looking at her feet.

"Yes, I do recall that. Are these the ones you spoke of?" he asked, lowering his expression but not his wand.

"Yeah, this is Ray, and the silent one is Hanzo. He's suffered a bit of a trauma, but he's still able to teach" Tonks insisted.

Harry was paying minimal attention to the words Tonks was speaking, paying more attention to the curvature of the mouth speaking them. He looked up in Tonks' eyes: today they were a vivid purple colour. Harry found himself losing his conscious self in those eyes. He smiled upon noticing the same bubblegum pink hair was adorning her head.

'By Merlin's Beard she's an exquisite woman' the thought came almost unbidden, but it was not disputed either.

"Earth to Harry, are you in there mate?" Ron waved his hand in front of the boy's somewhat vacant face.

"Oh sorry Ron, I was miles away" he said lamely.

'More likely a little closer than that, in fact I'd say six feet away' Lupin was now starting to get another piece of the puzzle but was glad Tonks didn't notice Harry's stare.

"Okay Tonks, I'm sure Dumbledore will want to meet them so they may as well stay for the day" Lupin was starting to be convinced by the young Auror's assurances.

The one she called Ray was friendly enough, and few quick checks proved neither were Wizards, yet, both emitted a strange energy that Lupin couldn't identify. Hanzo, the silent one who sat in the living room, watching the fire seemed to be, distant.

While Ray and the others spoke amiably, Tonks sat down next to Hanzo, leaning on him. He turned towards her and seemed to cock his head, as if trying to force his brain to work. Tonks smiled a sad smile and grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Hanzo, don't you remember me, lil' Tonks, or Shifty as you used to nick name me" she said.

"I remember, fragments, images and short movements, I remember you" he answered, his voice was rough like sandpaper, but not unpleasant.

"That's a good start" she hugged him tightly.

Harry watched Tonks interact with the quiet man; he sensed a sort of kinship between them, as if they were family. His theory was given weight by the way Hanzo softly began to pat Tonks' hair.

"I wouldn't worry, he's her Godfather. You're still in with a chance" Harry jumped as Ray whispered to him.

"Bloody hell, don't do that" Harry was clutching his now fast beating heart.

"Sorry, couldn't resist. This is your house correct?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, well, it is now" Harry said, going a little sad himself.

"Okay, I need a room to teach. Big room, say twenty feet across and twenty five feet long. Any rooms that big here?" Ray asked.

"Um, I think so. Come with me" Harry remembered.

Harry led Ray to the large basement of Grimmuld Place. It was dusty and full of cobwebs but it was clear of debris. Ray looked over it appreciatively seeing what it could become. Ray nodded thoughtfully.

"Thank you Harry, this will do nicely. Could you ask Tonks to come down here, please?" Ray asked.

"Sure" Harry jogged back upstairs to get Tonks.

He found her still with Hanzo, although now Hermione and Ginny were back, spooning on the couch. Tonks was talking to Hanzo, telling him a story by the look of it. Harry moved over to them and spoke to Tonks.

"Okay good, um, Harry, why don't you have a chat with Hanzo, I think you'll find you two have something in common" Tonks said, heading down to the basement.

Harry sat down nervously beside Hanzo: he wasn't a big man but he seemed to be almost overpowering in his own right. Hanzo turned his head and looked at Harry. Harry drew back: Hanzo's eyes were a milky white, indicating he was blind, at least, Harry thought he was.

"So, you are the one burdened with defeating the evil wizard, Lord Voldermort" he spoke slowly, but fiery.

"Yeah, I guess Tonks told you that" Harry said.

"Among other things; you see, I have little memory past about five years ago. I have checked photos and letters; Tonks is my goddaughter" apparently some of his memory was returning.

"Love is a beautiful thing to behold is it not" Hanzo asked, nodding towards the sleeping Ginny, her head in Hermione's lap.

"Not to some, Ginny, the red head, her mother won't speak to her because of this" Harry mumbled, seeing some hurt in Hermione's eyes when he said it.

"Love is a matter of soul. Let no one tell you different" Hanzo said, loud enough for Hermione to hear.

Harry was sure there was a double meaning in what Hanzo said. He felt the air move as Hanzo stood up to leave the room, going in the same direction as Tonks had. Hermione smiled at Harry, it had been a while since they were able to have a chat.

"How you feeling Harry?" she asked, speaking softly so as not to wake Ginny.

"Fine, how about you and Gin. Get much drama around town?" he asked in return.

"No, some people looked at us a little funny; we saw Dean Thomas and the poor bloke nearly had a heart attack" Hermione said, chuckling.

"Well I'm not surprised; the lad did seem awful keen on getting Ginny on a date" Harry recalled Dean's occasional bouts of self conscious flutters.

"You two are way too loud for me to enjoy my dream" Ginny's soft voice drifted up with some mirth.

"Hi Ginny, sleep well?" Harry asking, twirling his wand in his hand.

"Fine thank you" she said, turning a smile on Hermione.

Hermione leaned in and gave Ginny a soft kiss, neither was afraid of being affectionate towards the other. Their moment of tenderness was interrupted by a snorting noise: Harry who was joined by the now awake Charlie.

"What is so funny, Mr. Potter?" Hermione asked, getting the same look in her that was reserved for House Elf abusers.

"Thinking that if I wasn't so close to Ginny's family, I'd just sit here and drink malt liquor and watch you both" he explained: only to be bombarded with pillows and a few choice words.

"Morning Harry, Gin and Tonic. Where's Lupin and Ron?" Charlie greeted, using the nick name he'd coined for Ginny and Hermione.

"Went out I think, something about Luna, after that I just tuned out. Mooney still ought to be in the kitchen, failing that, try the basement" Harry replied, his voice muffled by the many pillows covering his face.

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Charlie left Harry to get pillows thrown at him and made his way down to the basement, seeing that Mooney wasn't in the kitchen. His poor nervous system got quite a shock when he saw what had happened to the basement. Where there was once dust and old crates there was a polished wood floor, with several square feet covered in tatami mats. Several Chinese and Japanese wall scrolls on hung up as well.

"Morning Charlie, could you get the kids to come down here" Tonks called out, her head buried in a sports bag, looking for something.

"Uh, yeah sure" Charlie said.

Once Charlie himself had recovered and summoned the children downstairs, the reasons were made apparent. These two men were here to train Harry and any of the others who wished to take part in the training were welcome. When the children arrived, Tonks and Ray were sitting at the head of the mats in training uniforms. Tonks was in a white one and Ray's was dark blue. Around Tonks' waist was a black belt, two gold bars on the tip. Ray's belt was red.

"Okay, just take a seat around the mat for now, the niceties will be worked out later" Tonks said.

"Well, here is the story: my good friend Tonks has asked me to help you defeat a coming evil. Magical self defence is all well and good, but, there are times when grabbing a wand would be, impractical or impossible" Ray stood as he spoke and walked to the centre of the mat.

"Tonks will demonstrate a case in point" he continued and handed Tonks a wand in a holster.

Tonks placed the holster on her thigh, Harry's eye lingered there for a moment, and she stood in a natural pose. Suddenly Ray grabbed her around her arms, easily restraining her due to his large arms. It seemed impossible for her to get away.

Tonks suddenly dropped her weight, sitting on Ray's pelvis, dragging the larger man down a bit. Then she hooked her right leg behind Ray's right leg and reefed it upwards while simultaneously leaning back. This caused Ray to logically lose his footing and fall onto his back. Tonks used the backwards momentum to roll over Ray, grinding her back into his face as she did so, and broke his grip.

With a loud thump, Ray hit the ground and Tonks had rolled off him and now knelt with one knee near Ray's head. With a loud cry, Tonks brought down her hand in a chop like motion: stopping millimetres from Ray's nose.

"That is a Hapkido technique, Tonks will be teaching you that with Hanzo as the advisor" Ray spoke with a groan as he got back up.

"I on the other hand will teach something else" Ray got back to his feet.

He nodded at Tonks and she set up in a boxer stance. Ray himself had a more Asian stance, one leg behind the other, rear leg slightly bent. Arms kept in similar fashion. After a brief pause, Tonks rushed Ray with a flurry of jabs and crosses. Ray blocked all of them and then threw a vicious round kick to Tonks' thigh, causing her to falter and stumble. Ray threw forward two powerful piston punches that collided with her sternum.

Before anyone could react, Ray swept Tonks' legs out from under her and she landed with a loud thump also. Despite the punishment she'd just endured, Tonks was wearing a huge grin, like she'd rediscovered a great joy long forgotten. Tonks bounded back up, almost like a puppy playing its favourite game.

"The training will begin learning the basics of both Hapkido and Shotokan Karate. After that" he paused nodded towards a large ball. Hanzo picked it up.

"We will proceed to more" he stopped again as the ball was hurled towards him.

There was a small blue glow in Ray's hand and he threw it forward. A small blue sphere flew towards the ball. On contact with the ball it turned to ice. Ray performed a roundhouse kick as the ball came into range, shattering it into shards.

"Interesting training" he finished with a grin.

The children as well as Lupin and Charlie were now slack jawed and wide eyed. They'd seen freezing charms before but nothing like that. What ever Ray had done, it wasn't magic by their standards but at the same time, it seemed like a magical ability.

"Today we will simply work on basic sparring, tomorrow; we shall start on close quarters combat" Ray finished with a smile.

So that was how the last five hours of the day before nightfall were spent. Sparring and practicing everything, stance, style and free form fighting. Tonks aided them by casting cushioning charms on them, allowing them to hit fully. There were still some injuries: Lupin and Charlie ended up breaking a few of each other's ribs. It got them both an ear chewing from Tonks. Harry had suffered a few blows to the head considering that he kept stealing glances at Tonks.

'Beautiful, funny, strong and powerful' these words ran through his head.

Trouble was, her training garb was a bit small and kept tugging at her, outlining her body and the pants clung tightly to her bum, the white allowing the green coloured lingerie she was wearing to show. This was the main reason for all of the blows to the head.

"Okay, all of you go and get cleaned up and get some food into you. Tomorrow we begin at seven o'clock sharp" Ray announced.

They all groaned and filed out. Except Harry, he still stood and looked at Tonks and Ray. Once everyone else was gone, Harry approached them. He knew in the back of his head that this was mainly for him, because he was the one to kill Voldermort. So who better to train him than warriors?

"Harry, how are you feeling?" Tonks asked, stripping her jacket off, leaving her in her sports top, her matching green bra visible underneath.

"I'm okay. My nightmares have left me alone for the past few days" Harry admitted.

"Good to hear, Lupin told me those nightmares were really terrible for you" Tonks flashed Harry a smile that could melt ice.

Unbeknownst to either Harry or Tonks, both Ray and Hanzo shared a look. Although Hanzo's face was hidden and his eyes blank, Ray knew they were thinking the same thing. Filing it away for later, Ray began to explain to Harry exactly why they were being taught these powerful and obviously dangerous techniques.

"You need to defeat Voldermort, you need to know how to fight, how to hurt and how to kill. Hanzo and I can teach you all of these things because that was what we did with our lives" Ray explained.

"What did you do?" Harry was incredulous and a little frightened. Tonks placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it.

"We were, key word here is 'were', assassins. I worked for a group called the Lin Kuei. However I was able to reform it, now we are a secret force for good" Ray explained.

"Ray, I-" Harry began.

"My name isn't Ray, Harry. My name is Sub Zero. My ancestors were a race of cryomancers" Sub Zero elaborated.

"I see. What about Hanzo?" Harry asked, looking at the mysterious man in the hooded cloak.

"That is a story for Hanzo and Hanzo only to tell" Tonks interjected, seeing the way Hanzo imperceptibly stiffened.

"I don't believe it" a very harsh and angry voice sounded from the stairs.

Snape was standing imperiously at the foot of the stairs, his hook nose and greasy hair and oily voice were among Harry's least favourite things in the world. The Potions Master approached them slowly, Harry noticed Sub Zero creating an ice ball behind his back. He was right in their faces before he spoke again.

"I should learn never to open my mouth regarding you Tonks, I challenge you to bring help and you bring guns for hire. You're more worthless than I thought" he spat.

"If you wish to keep that tongue in your mouth fool, you'll hold it now" Sub Zero was getting angry: the room became cold.

No one noticed Hanzo circling around the room; Snape was so involved in getting in Tonks and Sub Zero's faces that he didn't see the silent man. Harry had moved, almost unnoticeably in front of Tonks, hoping vainly to shield her from the irate man.

"Don't threaten me, I'm a powerful wizard and I've fought many battles, and I fight to win" Snape was wading in dangerous waters.

"Severus, Dumbledore will bee here tonight. Raise your reservations then, not now" Tonks was getting heated by the man's barbs at her.

"Or you could continue and get you head kicked in, your choice" Sub Zero had started making the room really cold.

Snape had noticed the sudden drop in temperature and cast a very suspicious look at Sub Zero; looking deep into his eyes, their ice blue colour suddenly confirmed a deep rooted fear that Snape had been feeling since he laid eyes on the man.

"Lin Kuei, you brought Lin Kuei into our fold" he hissed, lips pursed.

"Not just any Lin Kuei, the Grandmaster" Tonks smirked.

'Lin Kuei? What the hell is that?' Harry wondered.

"FOOL!" Snape made a huge mistake and lunged for Tonks.

Harry rose up, using as much of his body to shield Tonks. What happened after that took all of a split second. Hanzo grabbed Snape by his wand hand, twisted it into a lock and brought it down towards his knee, while bringing his knee upwards sharply.

There was a loud snap as Snape's elbow bent at an unnatural angle. Hanzo switched his hands around so his other hand now held Snape's lapel and with his right hand drew a large flaming sword and slammed Snape into a wall, placing the sword blade at his throat.

"Do not, ever, touch my goddaughter in that fashion. Try to do so again and I will kill you" Hanzo's voice had turned deep and frightening.

Snape was a great deal of pain, but he stared into Hanzo's eyes. His eyes were vacant, soulless and dangerous. Snape felt his chin burning from the flames on the sword's blade. Hanzo dropped him to the ground, and sheathed his sword, turning his eyes to the top of the stairs.

Dumbledore had arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

The old Wizard slowly descended the stairs taking in all that he saw; including that Harry was standing very close to Tonks, something Dumbledore noticed Harry did a lot of lately. He also took his eyes towards the two warriors Tonks had brought in. The one who emanated an ice mist was known to him, or at least the lineage was. The other one was unknown to him. Dumbledore could sense no soul within him, only a burning sensation.

"Hello Tonks, I see you have brought the reinforcements you mentioned. I had no idea you would bring the illustrious Sub Zero into our midst" Dumbledore smiled at the cryomancer.

"Illustrious?" Harry was confused.

"There is an ancient fighting tournament that has been in existence for almost ten millennia or more, we're not sure. All we know is that Wizards and human alike have lost their lives in fighting it" Dumbledore said.

"I am a champion of Mortal Kombat, Harry. So is Hanzo. We have both fought and killed in these tournaments; they are fights to the death" Sub Zero explained.

"As such, Tonks asked us to teach you the finer points of fighting to kill someone. The wizards will teach techniques; we will teach mindset" Hanzo elaborated, keeping a keen eye on Snape.

"Indeed, now I think Severus you should have that arm looked at, Madam Pomfrey is upstairs. I shall summon her down" Dumbledore turned and called for Madam Pomfrey.

The healer bustled down the stairs and began tending to Snape's injuries, resetting the bone was a very difficult problem and Snape's arm would be very sore for a few weeks and no doubt with that would come a surlier and aggravated attitude from the Potions Master.

After the healer helped Snape from the room, Dumbledore turned himself and followed them up the stairs. Sub Zero clapped Harry on the shoulder, taking Tonks with him up the stairs. As she walked, Tonks shot a glance back at Harry, a questioning and lingering gaze.

This left Hanzo and Harry alone for a moment. Hanzo turned and looked at the young man, as if scanning him. Then he stepped up to Harry, it was very intimidating for the boy but he was at ease when an open hand was proffered. Harry took the hand with all the strength and courage he could muster, a small smile on his face.

"You are an honourable young man, Harry Potter" Hanzo said.

"Thanks, but what makes you say that?" Harry asked.

"You put yourself between danger and my goddaughter, for what reason I can only guess. But you did it, none the less" Hanzo released Harry's hand and walked away.

'Well I have a reason, but I think you'd laugh at me for it. Or do me over worse than Snape' Harry kept a chuckle from his voice.

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Harry went upstairs to his room; Ron was there, getting a backrub from Luna. Harry smiled again, admiring his friends' happiness. Harry lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. Slowly, but surely Harry drifted off to sleep; the last thing he heard was Ron giving Luna a foot rub, something recommended to him by Hermione's father, Vincent.

When both boys were asleep, Luna bunking in with Hermione and Ginny, the door opened. It was Hanzo, he came in and knelt beside Harry and looked at him, he was muttering in his sleep again. Harry's scar, his famous scar; it was glowing green a little.

'Voldermort. If he wishes to play these games, then I believe it is time to even the scales' Hanzo reached forward and pressed two fingers to the scar.

_Harry was in the graveyard again, Cedric was dead and Voldermort was alive, and staring him down. Harry felt beaten down and tired. He was barely able to raise his head and look Voldermort in the eyes._

"_Well young Potter, it looks as if you shall die here, with no one here to help you, not Dumbledore, not Sirius, no one. You will die alone" Voldermort sneered._

"_Aveda Kedavra" Voldermort cried out._

_The jet of green energy flew towards Harry, and he stared right at it. Just before it hit, a yellow blur grabbed Harry and moved him from the path of the spell. Harry opened his eyes and saw someone who seemed familiar. He wore a black jumpsuit with a yellow vest and loin cloth. His face semi-covered by a mask that left only his eyes visible._

"_Time I think to allow a man to fight him, just this once" the man said and stood up._

"_So, you're the powerful Lord Voldermort. So powerful you prove your power by tormenting a young boy not out of school yet. You're pathetic" Voldermort was getting angry at his detractor._

"_Who are you, interloper?" Voldermort raised his wand._

"_My name is Hanzo Hasashi, finest warrior of the Shirai Ryu ninja clan. And your Angel of Death" Hanzo replied and then lowered to fighting stance._

"_You have no idea what you're dealing with, ninja, leave while you can" Voldermort said, firing another Aveda Kedavra._

_The spell hit Hanzo square in the chest. Harry looked on in horror, thinking he'd got another person killed due to his bond to Voldermort. However, to both his and Voldermort's surprise, Hanzo was still standing, indeed he looked at the small scorch mark where the spell hit him and then looked at Voldermort._

"_I'm curious, after killing me with that curse, what was your plan?" Hanzo asked._

_Before Voldermort could respond, Hanzo launched himself at him, starting off by throwing a savage knee into the Dark Lord's gut, doubling him over. Hanzo followed up by slamming his elbow onto the back of Voldermort's neck, a loud crack signalled its breaking. Voldermort dropped to the ground, twitching feebly. Hanzo gave him a look of contempt then stamped on his head, breaking the skull. He then turned to Harry._

"_Never alone, young Harry" Hanzo said._

Harry sat bolt upright in bed, sweating, but not hurting. His looked around rapidly, trying to find the source of his midnight assistance, but all he saw was the door closing as someone left the room.

'Hanzo?' Harry thought.

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The next morning at breakfast, Harry gave Hanzo a piercing look, the ninja didn't seem to notice it, but Tonks did however. Once the children left for Daigon Alley to get their school things, just to get it out of the way: Tonks confronted Hanzo.

"What did you do?" she asked, looking at him crookedly.

"This, Voldermort character, attacks the boy in his dreams. I decided to even the score a little" was all Hanzo would say.

"You saw the graveyard then?" Tonks drew in her breath: she'd heard about that night, but never had she heard Harry speak of it.

"Yes; and no one believed him. I find it hard to believe that his peers would think him capable of making that up" Hanzo seemed to frown, although only his tone gave it away.

"Was that all you saw?" Tonks was curious.

"No, I saw some other things. Things he will talk of when he is ready, or something forces him to reveal them" he answered, walking away.

Tonks was very confused by that answer and sat on the couch to contemplate it: what was Hanzo talking about?

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Harry was in a gift shop in Diagon Alley; he'd managed to winkle certain information out of Lupin. So now he was searching out a gift for Tonks. He felt as if he must be mad.

'This is craziness; she'll rip your head off' Harry said to himself as he perused the gifts.

His search seemed fruitless until he finally came across something that would be perfect. It was a pair of dress gloves made of black leather. A spiral pattern made of gold and silver studs went across the top of the hand. Gold fabric was sewn into the fingers in a helix pattern, travelling to the knuckles. Harry grabbed the nearest shop assistant and pointed to them.

"How much mate?" Harry asked.

"Fifteen Galleons" he said, looking slightly down at Harry.

"Ring it up and wrap it up" Harry's reply was immediate.

"Are you sure you can afford that?" the assistant was getting toffy nosed.

"Yes, I can" Harry rattled his money sack, jingling the Galleons.

"Yes sir" the assistant grabbed the gloves carefully and ran to wrap them up, now snivelling like a lap dog.

"Apart from how they look, is there anything special about them?" was a bit confused about the high price tag.

"Well sir, no, aside from one small unmentionable obscurity" he said, starting to sweat.

"Which is?" Harry prompted.

"I don't know if it's true or not, but the owner says his great grandmother was a Metamorphmagus, and he said she wore those gloves, and when ever she did, the stones would change colours" he said this in a whisper, as if it would cost him the sale.

"Make sure you gift wrap this thing brilliantly" Harry said; the information he'd just heard had guaranteed the sale.

Ten minutes later, Harry had to hide the present because the wrapping has made the package ten times bigger than the gift itself. So now Harry was sneaking around Diagon Alley trying to avoid his entourage otherwise he'd be forced to explain the present, something he wasn't quite ready to do yet.

"Crap, I didn't think this through as much as I should have" he cursed as he saw Moody and Lupin coming towards him.

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. Quickly spinning around he saw Hanzo; then he felt a funny sensation run through his body. The world around Harry seemed to shimmer and change and when it returned to focus: he was back in Grimmuld Place.

"How did-" Harry began but the sudden appearance of a fist mere centimetre from his face.

"Whenever an unknown hand touches you: strike them hard, never let them catch you off guard" Hanzo stared straight into Harry's eyes, his white boring straight past his own green eyes.

"But…" Harry started to answer but he was cut off again.

"NO. If you want to win against this evil lord, then you will treat every unknown as an enemy" Hanzo continued to stare.

"Hide your gift, then meet me in the training hall" Hanzo left the room as quickly as he entered it.

Quickly finding a secret compartment in his trunk, Harry stowed the gift and, wisely changing into a tracksuit; he trudged down to the makeshift training hall. Harry entered and stopped fast: Hanzo was wearing the outfit from his dream, where Hanzo defeated Lord Voldermort as if he was nothing.

"So you did get into my dream. How?" Harry asked.

"I have many powers, much like the one that brought us back her from town. But what I said earlier still stands: you must be on your guard if you are to survive. Sub Zero and I will not be everywhere at once" Hanzo stated and beckoned Harry onto the mats.

Harry nervously stood opposite Hanzo, setting his guard like Sub Zero told him. Hanzo noted the Shotokan stance, powerful but easy to open on a beginner. However Hanzo knew Harry had become very quick, Tonks explained he played a sport that required great reflexes. Hanzo launched himself forward with a punch for Harry's head.

"Crap" Harry yelped as he ducked the punch, only to wear a follow up punch to the shoulder.

"Either prepare to block or move from striking distance" Hanzo snapped, throwing a violent roundhouse kick.

Harry dropped to the ground and out of instinct, rolled backwards and back onto his feet. Hanzo seemed more impressed by that but continued to rain down attacks at him. Harry was at his wits end: sure he'd gotten into a few punch ups, but he was fighting a man whose sole purpose in life had been martial arts and killing for money. He knew he'd have to get past Hanzo's fists and feet and strike him, if only to prove to him that he could fight.

'Okay, is he repeating anything, leaving an opening since he knows I'm no match for him. Wait a second; the mats' Harry was struck with an idea.

The tatami mats they were on weren't held together except by the wooden frame surrounding them. Harry waited for Hanzo to do one of his high kicks. It seemed to take him forever to goad the bugger into doing one, but eventually, Hanzo tried an axe kick. Harry struck.

Quickly rolling forward underneath Hanzo, Harry came up behind him and grabbed the mat Hanzo was standing on and yanked it from under his feet. As it was unusual for Hanzo to try and use this kick, his balance wasn't as good as it should be and he stumbled forwards.

That was all Harry needed and he launched himself like a cannon ball. Using his momentum and shoulder to barge Hanzo in the back, Harry caused him to fall on his face, and Harry was right on his back. Now Harry was unsure what to do: he didn't have the body weight to pin Hanzo, and even if he did, he didn't know how to hold him in a pin.

"Well done" Hanzo congratulated him.

Then Hanzo used a push up motion to send Harry tumbling to the ground. Coughing from the sudden impact, Harry looked up and saw Hanzo watching him. He held out his hand for Harry, he took it. Hanzo easily lifted the boy to his feet, Harry dusted himself off and asked Hanzo a question.

"I take it Dumbledore has allowed you join us, that's what you're still here" Harry said tiredly.

"I would stay whether that old man wished me to or not" Hanzo replied, walking away.

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Three weeks passed like that, the Order members training with Hanzo, Tonks and Sub Zero. They learnt the various techniques of Hapkido and Karate; how to fight, how to wrestle and how to escape from various holds. Harry, Hermione and Ron even learning cryomancy from Sub Zero. In an unusual twist of fate, Ron was showing the most promise in that area.

As the summer came to a close; Tonks took over most of the teaching roles by showing them how to mix magic spells in with the martial arts. Stunners in their punches and freezing charms with their kicks, although Harry's favourite was using a jelly legs curse when he was grappling. Each of the three showed a particular aspect of skill in an area of the training; Hermione for instance, being the most graceful of them was the best at stand up work with Karate. Ron, having fought with brothers was also the best wrestler but Harry had the best motor skills and was able to manipulate anyone who grabbed him into a lock or hold.

Snape was still making his displeasure about the whole thing known, although he never went near Tonks if Hanzo was in the same room, and he never, ever opened his mouth if Hanzo and Sub Zero were anywhere near him. Ron enjoyed the fact that Snape, who got so much fun out of bullying people had finally been put in his place, someone stood up to him.

September 1st was fast approaching and Harry still hadn't given Tonks her present, although he'd wisely gone in on a group present with Hermione and Ron to cover himself. Frustration seemed to hit him more than nightmares and he often found himself expressing this frustration out on a boxing bag in the hall or with any sucker that came in the door.

"Damn, my lack of Gryffindor courage" he muttered, going through one of Sub Zero's kata.

The katas were a formality in their training, not the most useful of combat tools, but a marvellous way to improve concentration and release energy.

"I thought I'd find you down here" Harry turned and saw Tonks in her training uniform, hugging her in all the damnably sexy places.

"Hi Tonks" Harry said, quickly resuming his kata.

"Word around the campfire Harry, is that you've gotten into the habit of trying to spar with everyone who comes in here, except for Hermione, Ginny and Luna" Tonks counted the only other females that were taking part in the training.

"Is that huge problem?" he asked.

"Unless you don't want to get revenge on Bellatrix, yes it is" Tonks began stretching, making Harry's eye twitch.

"I can hurt someone I hate very easily; I don't hate Luna, Gin or Tonic" he replied.

"Yet only last week, both you and Bill Weasley both come out of here with a broken bone or two, and I hear Fluer was most, shall we say, _aggravated_ because of it" Tonks made the implication obvious.

"If she was so desperate to shag him, then she should have got him at the earliest opportunity" Harry wasn't really interested in Bill's sex life, or lack thereof because of him.

"That isn't the point. You need to calm down in training or you're going to hurt someone else, or yourself" Tonks now stood in the middle of the mats, looking at Harry.

"What?" Harry was confused.

"Spar with me, as hard you can" Tonks took up a mixed stance; like herself it morphed between the Hapkido and Karate.

Taking a deep breath, Harry set up too, favouring the Hapkido stance, as it was closed and left plenty of leverage for being grabbed. Harry suddenly felt a breeze past his face, realising that he needed to move he rolled to the side. Upon righting himself he saw that Tonks was nowhere in sight. Then he felt two fleshy things in his back. Turning with a grimace he saw Tonks, looking smug and mock offended.

"Oh bugger" Harry muttered before flipping forward to avoid what ever she sent his way.

It went on like that for about ten minutes; Harry was constantly on defence while Tonks was able to take an easy offensive. Getting annoyed at the toying attitude of his sparring partner, Harry formed an idea. He faced Tonks and waited. Tonks threw a straight punch at Harry.

'Got you' he thought with glee.

Ducking under the punch, Harry darted behind Tonks, wrapping his arm around her neck. Lowering himself so his bum was under hers, he stood up and threw her over his hip. Tonks hadn't been thrown like that before so she landed on her face, spared only a broken nose due a quick front break fall.

'Throw me like that will ya, punk' she was getting excited, he was good at this.

Quickly grabbing Harry's ankle, Tonks shot between Harry's legs and chopped into the back of his knee with her other hand, making him fall forward and placed him in a joint lock. Harry knew how to get out of that one: he spun his body around so he was on his side instead of his belly. Then he put his other knee next to Tonks head and knelt up.

"Give up?" Harry asked smarmily.

"Not on your life lad" Tonks now had a crazed grin on her face.

Harry got the shock of his life to see Tonks launch her body upwards at him, and was even more shocked to find Tonks wrap his head in her thighs, causing him to fall backwards. Tonks grabbed his pants and dropped the weight of her pelvis on his head.

"Still want to keep going?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine right here" Harry said, his voice muffled.

Tonks suddenly realised, horrified, what had happened. She was supposed to force pressure on his head with the pelvis bone, but had instead dropped her crotch right on his face and now seeing that she had him by the pants, it got awkward. Also seeing Harry's, response to said action.

'Could this get any worse?' Tonks thought, feeling terribly embarrassed.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something, I can come back later" Sub Zero stood at the foot of the stairs, a ghost of a smile across his face.

'Yes. Yes it could' Tonks was beyond embarrassed now.

"Ah, Tonks, can you um, get off now?" Harry asked from his precarious position.

"Harry, between us lads, if you start-" Tonks cut him off with a screech.

"SUB ZERO, YOU FINISH THAT SENTENCE AND I WILL KILL YOU" Tonks had turned a red colour that would make Vernon Dursley proud.

"Fair enough. I think the children have to leave early tomorrow, so you two sort out what needs sorting out" Sub Zero ascended the stairs, smirking at a joke only he knew of.

"Oh and Harry, just give her the gift already. Your pacing is disturbing everyone else's sleep" Sub Zero called as he closed the door.

Tonks rolled off Harry and sat up, drenched in sweat, making her lingerie show on her pants again; and on her shirt. Grinning despite herself at Harry and shook her head.

"Do I dare ask how familiar you are with that, particular position?" she asked.

"Not very, my one date with a 6th year, Cho Chang, went very badly. Though given my inexperience with women, I'm not all that surprised" Harry seemed unaware of the fairly large flag pole in his trousers.

"You've gone on one date, and Ron's already getting close to heavy petting with Luna, you poor deprived soul" she teased.

"You're one to talk, witch" Harry laughed at his own lame joke.

"Is that how it is, is it?" she admonished.

"Just calling it how I see it" Harry said, laughing for the first time in a long time.

"Okay, in that spirit, I see you are a well equipped young wizard. So it must be the sale's pitch that's screwing you, so to speak" Tonks said with a wicked grin.

Harry's eyes drifted so he could see the source of her comment. In a movement almost to fast for the naked eye, Harry hurled himself upwards. He tried to conceal himself with his legs and what not, but Tonks was already laughing so hard he had to laugh too.

"No worries Harry, between you, me and garden fence, I'm very flattered" Tonks was flattered, and a little curious.

"T-thanks" Harry managed to stutter.

"Now, Sub Zero also mentioned a gift. Have you been holding out on me?" she asked, grinning in a predatory manner.

"Ah, yeah, it's a surprise" Harry knew he could keep this a secret no longer.

"Well, do I get it or not?" she laughed.

"I'll tell you what, I'll leave it on my bed, and you can open it when I leave. I think that's fair" Harry said.

Tonks rolled her eyes and blew a raspberry at him, and then in one moment of total loss of logical capacity, Harry leaned in and kissed Tonks. The moment itself seemed frozen in time. The contact between Harry and Tonks' lips was very light and very soft.

'Oh no, I've just made a huge mistake' Harry thought and pulled away.

Tonks looked a bit shocked, but she had a huge blush rising in her cheeks and on her neck. Harry was almost too scared to meet her eyes but managed to do so, but only because he knew what he saw there wouldn't be half as scary as what he would see in Hanzo's eyes when he got hold him.

"Harry, I ah…" Tonks couldn't finish.

"Tonks, I'm sorry" Harry got up and ran out like a shot.

Tonks watched him go, replaying the looks she saw in his eyes a moment ago. What he'd done had taken a great deal of bravery, even for him. And it was a risk for him, being you and as he put himself, inexperienced, making a move as bold as that on an older woman was pretty sporty. Tonks smiled sadly, if he'd had stayed; he may have at least gotten a kiss back.

"I forget sometimes he's only a scared child" she said and got up, dusting her trousers off, and feeling the tingle on her lips.

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Harry bolted into his room and practically dived onto his bed. He wasn't crying, but he felt very silly. He just lay there, muttering obscenities into his pillow, occasionally hitting his head with his fist. He alternated that with smacking his head into the pillow.

"Did Harry Potter do something bad, sir?" a squeaky voice interrupted Harry's depressive mutterings.

"It's a bit complicated Dobby, but let us just say that Harry is feeling very silly right now" Harry moaned.

"Is there anything Dobby can do sir?" the house elf asked.

"Yeah, actually there is Dobby" Harry paused and went to his trunk and retrieved Tonks' gift.

"When I get on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow, I want you to give this to Tonks, the lady with the pink hair. Okay?" Harry handed Dobby the present.

"Dobby is honoured to be delivering a gift to the lady of his affections" Dobby popped out with the gift before Harry could refute the words.

"And smart money says she'll be part of the escort to the train tomorrow" Harry groaned and went to sleep.

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The morning was not as hectic as it could have been, under the direction of Mad Eye, everything went like clock work and they were ready to leave at eight o'clock. Harry sat with Buckbeak most of that morning, confessing his troubles to the Hippogriff who merely nodded because he knew it got him a ferret.

"You're a good listener Buckbeak, want another ferret mate?" Harry asked, plucking one from the pile.

Buckbeak nodded and Harry threw him the ferret, petting the great beast as he ate. A loud cry from Moody signalled that it was time to leave. Harry got up, feeling his joints ache and protest from all the punishment he'd put them through this summer. Waving and bowing goodbye to Buckbeak. Harry grabbed his trunk from his room, nodding to Dobby who responded with thumbs up.

Everyone else was waiting for Harry at the fireplace. Once he arrived, Moody threw the Floo Powder into the fireplace and called out Platform 9 ¾ and one by one, the others stepped through. Last of all were Tonks and Harry. Harry waved his hand in front of him, letting Tonks know, lady's first. Sighing, Tonks walked through and Harry followed.

'Now' two men thought.

Quick as lightning, Sub Zero and Hanzo jumped into the fireplace as well. They'd never travelled by Floo before and as a result, the ride was a bit bumpy for them. They arrived a little after the others and being the sneaky men they were, hid quickly. Cautiously they looked around to find a secluded area in the station to wait for the train.

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Moody, Lupin and Tonks created a three point perimeter around the group, Tonks occasionally looking to Harry; both looking away sharply when they caught each other. Moody and Lupin exchanged a look, what ever was between the lad and young Auror had to be solved before they both hurt themselves. The train arrived, and students began filing on, Ron and Hermione and Ginny and Luna making sure to secure a cabin large enough for the five of them.

"We'll be checking the train, lass, why don't you help young Potter here onto the train?" Moody dragged Lupin away as he spoke.

"So, sixth year huh?" Tonks asked, trying to make small talk.

"Yeah, this time I don't think anything will shock me. Death, destruction and betrayal, think I'm missing any?" Harry asked with a pathetic chuckle.

"Yeah, love, respect, fun and childhood. You're missing them, but I suppose that's another story" Tonks replied with a wry smile.

Finally able to look Tonks in the eye again, Harry though with defeat that even if she hadn't been offended by his kiss, it would amount to nothing. Oh well, he wasn't minus a friend, of that he was grateful. Harry waved goodbye and was about to turn when Tonks grabbed a fistful of his shirt.

"Tonks, what –" Harry was silenced by a pair of soft lips covering his own.

The kiss sent electric shockwaves through Harry's body, and Tonks too. The pair broke apart after a few seconds. Harry seemed dazed, while Tonks was breathing heavily, a smile and blush on his face.

"Never assume the worst, Harry. Now get on that train before it leaves without you" she said with a giggle.

"Ah, right, I'll see you at Christmas, okay Tonks?" Harry called, tripping as he tried to get on the train.

"Yes you will, now scoot" Tonks laughed: her clumsiness seemed to rub off on him.

Harry finally made it onto the train, and was greeted by loud applause and cat calls. The male students were calling out variations of 'Potter you sly fox' and clapping him on the back. The female students were looking a little put out, a select few even plotting revenge. Harry smiled; let them take on a trained Auror, see how long they lasted. He took a seat with his friends, all of whom were looking at him strangely.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't you 'what' us Harry Potter, what the hell was all that about?" Hermione bristled, Ginny patting her hand to calm the older girl down.

"Tonks kissed me" he replied.

"You say that as if it was an everyday occurrence" Hermione was getting very agitated.

"Harry, your status in school has just been given a booster shot from hero, to living legend. The blokes will want all the details and the girls will want to crucify Tonks" Ron said, remembering how they'd sent Hermione threatening letters in fourth year.

"She's an Auror, Ron, short of Voldermort himself, I dare say there isn't much she can't handle" Hermione hissed.

"Shutting up" Ron said, sinking into his seat.

Harry in the meantime was in a sort of daze, considering what Tonks had said to him. 'Never assume the worst', did that mean despite everything he had a chance to, woo her. He felt a lot better about the present he'd bought for her now; in fact, he dare thought she'd be getting it in a few minutes.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Sub Zero and Hanzo were in the last compartment in the train, having a chat regarding recent events.

"So, the lad made his move, what do you think Hanzo?" Sub Zero asked his friend.

"As I said to Harry earlier; love is a matter of soul. As long as that is what is involved between them, then so be it" Hanzo replied, getting comfortable.


	3. Chapter 3

Tonks returned to Grimmuld Place feeling a little giddy, Lupin and Mad Eye behind her making jokes and innuendo. She simply rolled her eyes contemptuously at them and went upstairs to have a shower. As she was getting changed, a loud popping noise startled Tonks, causing her to jump over her bed and grab her wand.

"Is okay, is only Dobby the House Elf" Dobby said, holding a large package.

"Oh, sorry Dobby but you scared me" Tonks replied, wrapping a towel around herself.

"Is okay, lady of Harry Potter's affection. Dobby has a gift for lady from Harry Potter, he wished Dobby give it to you after he left for Hogwarts" Dobby gently laid the large package on the bed.

"Thanks Dobby" Tonks said, a red twinge on her cheeks as she began to unwrap the gift.

The gift was wrapped in a large clear cellophane bag and covered with what looked like a lot of fine chocolate sweets and some kind of herb, rosemary, Tonks guessed by the smell. Pouring the chocolates out onto the bed and resolving to eat them later, she found the actual present itself. Feeling a little giddy, as if a school girl again, she opened the box.

"Oh, my word" Tonks gasped, lifting the gloves out and inspecting them.

With a very warm feeling in the pit of her stomach, Tonks put the gloves on. Then a most unexpected thing happened. All the stones on the top of the gloves began to shimmer in all different colours and the gold threads also began glowing. Tonks was amazed, she couldn't believe it.

"Morphstones and life thread, oh my god" a smile grew across her face and a few tears.

Running down the stairs, ignoring her state of undress. She made to the fire place and threw in some Floo Powder and asked to see Dumbledore at his office. The grey haired headmaster appeared and asked Tonks what she wanted to know.

"Are you planning any social events this year?" she asked, barely concealed excitement on her face.

"Not that I know of, why, do you wish me to hold one?" he asked, eyes twinkling.

"Well, it might be nice; Hermione said the Yule Ball was a lot of fun" Tonks mentioned.

"True, but the Yule Ball is part of the Triwizard Tournament, I cannot hold that without holding the Tournament again and I think there would be some objections to that" Dumbledore said with a grin.

"Well, what about a Masquerade Ball for Halloween, that's as good an excuse for a bit of fun as anything" Tonks pressed the idea.

"Indeed it is. Very well, I'll bring that to the faculty and see what they think" Dumbledore acquiesced to the request.

"Great, bye" Tonks went to leave, but Dumbledore made sure to get the last word in.

"I assume I shall be able to recognise you from the gloves" he asked as he left the fireplace.

Feeling mortified at being seen through like that, Tonks quietly went back upstairs for her shower. Ignoring the smug looks of both Lupin and Mad Eye as she went passed them, still in her towel with a blush Ron would be proud of on her face. As the door slammed shut they looked at each other.

"Five Galleons, one week after the dance" Mad Eye said.

"Ten Galleons, during the dance" Lupin replied.

"Done" Mad Eye replied and shook Lupin's hand; making a gentleman's agreement.

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-----Hogwarts-----

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The welcoming feast and sorting went on like clockwork, the usual sort of spiel from the hat about school unity among the houses. It was all getting fairly par for course with that stupid hat and Harry was getting sick of it. Once the final student had been sorted, Dumbledore stood to make his announcement.

"Due to the obvious enjoyment of the Yule Ball two years ago, an, anonymous party has convinced me to hold this year a Masquerade Ball this Halloween. It shall be open to all years, although I think separate ballrooms for year one through three and four through seven" Dumbledore smiled, seeing the excited looks all over the children's faces.

"Who do you suppose the anonymous party was?" Hermione wondered.

"No idea, still, should be fun" Ginny giggled, clasping Hermione's hand under the table.

Ron exchanged a worried look with Luna; he was concerned how the rest of Hogwarts would start treating them both. He knew his sister could be every bit as fiery as all her brothers, and Hermione could be very fierce when the mood took her, but, two against nine hundred, still unfair odds.

'Even for a pair as fierce as a nesting mother Dragon' Ron thought, chewing on some bread.

"So Harry, since Tonks is obviously unavailable, whom do you plan to ask to the ball?" Ron tried a less depressing topic.

"Bugger off, Ron, I'll probably not go" Harry said off hand.

"Why not?" Ginny enquired.

"Why bother, no one wants to dance with me, I seem to attract danger like sugar does bees" Harry said miserably.

"Harry, you do know what masquerade means don't you?" Hermione asked.

"Not off hand, no" he answered, looking puzzled.

"It means disguise or hiding. You are supposed to come in a costume to conceal your identity, until midnight usually" Hermione explained.

Harry took that in and thought for a while: given the almost covert nature of the ball, he could ask Tonks to come, she was not much taller than he was and would not be recognised by any of the student body. Save for those who knew her.

'The only thing that would stand in my way would be Snape. Sub Zero and Hanzo aren't here so they can't keep him quiet' Harry sat and began to think very deeply about this.

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--------Hogsmeade-----

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'I don't believe this' Rolanda Hooch thought disbelievingly.

She was caught in the Three Broomsticks because Madam Rosemerta had decided it was too dangerous, Death Eaters are about, she would say and had locked the doors until morning and put everyone in the bar up for free.

"The woman has taken leave of her senses" Rolanda muttered to the air around her.

While Rolanda sat and muttered, two blue eyes had become glued to her. Despite her advanced age, Rolanda Hooch looked only thirty five, a fact not lost on her admirer.

"You are drawing attention to yourself" his companion said, fingering the empty glass in front of him.

"Men tend to stare at women in bars and pubs, but then you never were a bar or a pub man were you?" Sub Zero said, a slight slur in his voice.

"And you always did love alcohol a bit too much" Hanzo shot back.

"True, but when one reaches a stage in life, one requires a little vice now and then" Sub Zero smirked.

"Clear your system. I feel trouble is approaching" Hanzo said, going unusually stiff.

"Okay" Sub Zero used the ice powers in his blood to destroy the alcohol molecules, sobering him up.

Hanzo was right, trouble was coming. However it was from a most unexpected source. The woman Sub Zero had been staring at had very casually gone and broken a window and climbed out of the opening. Grinning, Sub Zero moved quickly among the patrons and hoped out of the hole in the wall himself, Hanzo following him closely.

"Stupid bloody serving wench, totally crackers" Rolanda muttered, knowing she'd missed the feast and the sorting ceremony.

"Well well, what have we here my fellows, it is a teacher from that muggle and mud blood loving school" a deep voice intoned.

"Oh no, no no no no, this is totally unfair" Rolanda couldn't believe it; the one time she decides not to give into hysteria she actually does get attacked.

"Indeed it is my dear, but only for you" another of the Death Eaters mocked her.

Rolanda had her wand, but her speciality was flying, not fighting. If she had her broom then she might have had a chance to escape and outrun them, but she was on her own and now surrounded by Death Eaters. One stood opposite her, obviously the one who wised to attack her first.

"It is time to die, mud blood lover" the tall Death Eater sneered.

Then something truly extraordinary happened: a blue mist overcame the circle, as fast as a thought and all the Death Eaters who mad up the circle were frozen solid, faces frozen in confusion. Slow, deliberate steps echoed in the night and soon a tall figure emerged from the mist: Sub Zero, now wearing the armour he had found in the Cryomancer's Mausoleum. His eyes burnt with cold rage.

"It seems to me, that these odds were unfair. I have created a balance" he said, his mouth hidden behind a mask like Hanzo's.

"Who are you?" the Death Eater demanded levelling his wand.

"If you wish to fight me, then say so. If you wish to fight her, the get on with it" Sub Zero showed no fear.

"Expelliarmus" Rolanda struck while the Death Eater was distracted and was able to disarm him.

"Very well played my dear, now, I shall take my leave. No doubt the local law enforcement is on the way. Farewell" Sub Zero seemed to melt back into the mist.

"Wait" she called out, but he did not linger.

Indeed Aurors had show up and were quite perplexed to find one Death Eater bound by a wizard spell, and several others frozen by a means irreversible to them. They questioned Rolanda about it for several minutes but she could tell them nothing specific. They agreed to let her continue on her way to Hogwarts under her own power.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" she wondered, reaching up to adjust her cloak.

As he did she felt something cool and smooth that wasn't in that place before. Screwing her brow in concentration she removed the object and looked at it. It was a small penguin, riding a broom. Most fascinating off all was that the small brooch was made of ice.

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Harry was in his favourite class: Defence against the Dark Arts. Well, it would be his favourite class, had Snape not been appointed to teach it, the new teacher, Professor Slughorn was now the Potions Master. It was a double lesson. The first half was some writing and other theory. The second half, which they were now entering, was a practical lesson.

"You will be working on Non-Verbal Spells today, simple stunners and shields until you get better control over them" Snape commanded breezily, pairing the students up.

Harry ended up with Draco, a not to uncommon occurrence in this class. Only this time, Harry looked at Draco with more than the usual contempt: there was rage now. Lucius Malfoy had been present at the Department of Mysteries, and Draco's own affiliation and ideology were all common knowledge.

"Ready to get beaten, Potter?" Draco asked snidely.

"Not by the likes of you, Malfoy" Harry hissed, wand ready.

They began to duel, silently at first. The silent part was clumsy and broken by occasional speech. Then at one point, Harry and Draco got closer to the one another, trying to overpower the other. It was then that Draco made a very costly mistake.

"Did your godfather fight this way before he died, because of he did no wonder Bellatrix beat him" Draco sniggered.

That simple phrase was enough to unlock a long buried store of guilt, anger and misery in Harry that seemed to translate into a raw form of magical power, there was so much of it that it had to be forcibly expelled from his body: right at Draco.

Draco had no idea what hit him, but he'd lost his wand and Potter was on him. Draco tried to fend him off, but Harry had been under the tutelage of two very skilled warriors and one of the most unfair playing Aurors in all of Britain. Draco threw a sloppy punch. Harry moved fluidly from its path and grabbed Draco's fist.

"This is for Sirius" Harry snarled.

Twisting the arm so that it locked, Harry swung himself from his hips and used his forearm to break Draco's elbow. Without hesitation he snapped a kick to the boy's knee.

"For Cedric" Harry hissed as Draco hit the ground.

"And this is for me" Harry brought his leg up in a powerful axe kick aimed for Draco's head.

Before he could bring the kick down, Ron crash tackled him. The other Slytherin students were rushing to Draco's defence and the Gryffindor students to stop Harry from killing Draco. It was a tough go. It took Ron, Hermione along with Dean and Seamus to bring Harry under control. The rest of the students kept busy keeping members of both camps from brawling with each other.

"POTTER. DETENTION, ALL WEEK. NO QUIDDITCH" Snape was beyond furious.

"You're dead Potter, when I get my hands on you" Draco gasped out.

"Mighty big words since you're the one with the broken arm and knee, you stupid bastard" Harry replied from his vantage point on the floor.

That was the scene Dumbledore was greeted by upon entering the classroom: two houses nearly at each other's throats. Not the sort of unity he'd been hoping for. It only took one student to see the ancient headmaster before a hush fell about the room, save for the pained breathing of Draco and Harry's heavy breathing that was the result of his sudden adrenaline rush.

"Severus, take young Mr. Malfoy to Madam Pomfrey, his injuries are grave as I am sure you can sympathise. Mr. Potter will remain here; the rest of you may go to lunch" Dumbledore said quietly.

Snape and two other students took Draco to the Infirmary, the rest of them did file out to lunch, but there was an obvious divide between them. As soon as they were gone, Dumbledore charmed himself a chair and sat down and looked at Harry.

"It would appear that Mr. Malfoy said something to upset you" Dumbledore began.

"A very astute observation, sir" Harry snapped back.

"That did not give you the right to injure him like you did" Dumbledore also chose his words wrongly, but Harry was content to just yell at him.

"I have no right, how dare you. That son of a bitch has been nothing but trouble for me and everyone else here since he was a first year. His father willingly followed the man that killed my parents. His father indeed tried to kill one of my close friends" Harry was gathering steam.

"Harry,-" Dumbledore tried to interject.

"I'M NOT FINISHED. Draco himself assisted Professor Umbridge last year in an attempt to take over this school and break me. They failed. Draco has also used any authority he has to bully, intimidate and I dare say even hurt other people. Well it is high time that little shit felt that fear. Because if Draco wishes to be like his daddy, then perhaps he should know what he is fighting" Harry had slowed to a stop now.

"Harry, Draco is a bully but not a murderer" Dumbledore implored the boy to be reasonable.

"But he enjoys it!" Harry snapped.

"Draco isn't as happy about that certain aspect of his life as you might imagine, Harry" Dumbledore attempted to placate the boy.

"Then he is guilty by inaction. The only thing worse than the deeds of evil men is the inaction of (supposed) good men" it wasn't working; Harry was severely worked up now.

Dumbledore was seriously worried: he could feel a darkness growing in the young man. A darkness that remained unchecked could lead to irreversible and terrible consequences. It was then that Dumbledore knew in his heart that if there was to be any hope, Harry would need reminding that he was fighting for the side of law and justice.

"Did you know that is the very same logic that Voldermort uses to punish his subordinates, Harry?" the headmaster knew he was walking a tightrope here, but it had to be said.

"Don't you dare sit there and compare me to _him_. I have never killed anyone for a matter as trivial as their birth or disposition to magic" Harry snarled.

"Yet you attacked Mr. Malfoy for something that is really no more than following an extreme political belief" the line became narrower.

"Get out" Harry snarled; a mist began to leak out of him, magic, raw magical energy.

"Harry…" Dumbledore stood.

"I SAID GET OUT" Harry screamed, allowing a very dark look to pass across his face.

Dumbledore was shocked. This was not the Harry Potter he knew, then again, did anyone truly know him. A life filled with pain, suffering and misery would take its toll on anyone. Harry however had grown up with not only that, but constant threat to his life also from a true manifestation of evil.

"Harry, what is wrong?" Dumbledore began to suspect that there was more than a mere angry outburst at work here.

Harry's body was resonating with the energy itself, making things around him flap and creak. Harry himself had taken to breathing heavily and as he raised his head to stare at Dumbledore, the old wizard stepped back in horror. Harry's normally green eyes were shifting in colour, red to green and green to red, as if one colour was fighting for dominance.

"My word" Dumbledore muttered.

Harry jerkily raised his wand to his throat, his body convulsing a little. Dumbledore moved forward to try and remove Harry's wand from his hand. Quick as a flash, Harry pointed the wand at Dumbledore and used the Expelliarmus spell. The spell was so powerful that it flung Dumbledore backwards and out of the door, startling the students in the hallway.

"What on earth?" Snape had returned and saw Harry. He then knew fear.

Harry was surrounded by his own magical energy and was moving forward jerkily, but the shifting colour of his eyes and the paleness of his skin made for a frightening spectre to see. Snape raised his wand, but Dumbledore advised him to lower it.

"Help, me" Harry managed to choke out before he collapsed, all magical energy retreating into his body.

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Dumbledore, now sporting a bandaid on his eyebrow stood over Harry's unconscious form. The boy was on a large range of magical sensors, not dissimilar to Muggle life-support equipment. Dumbledore was joined by Ron, Hermione, Luna and Ginny who had been told the unbelievable tale of Harry's powerful outburst. They were flabbergasted, to say the least.

"He, managed to summon enough power, to throw you across a room and through a door, just so I got that right" Hermione asked.

"Correct" Dumbledore answered.

"How?" Ron asked.

"I do not know, Ronald. Believe me I wish I did" the old headmaster said with a wry smile.

"Has the ministry heard of this?" Ginny brought a very daunting question to air.

"I believe if they don't know yet, they will know soon. Undoubtedly young Mr. Malfoy has alerted his mother of his assault and news is known to travel fast in this school, so they will know one way or the other" Dumbledore had been afraid of something like this.

"What will happen to him?" Luna spoke this time.

"Undoubtedly they will petition me to have him confined to St. Mungo's, or given the new Minister, I fear he will want him put in Azkaban" Dumbledore gave very grave news.

"They wouldn't do that surely. He isn't a criminal" Ron muttered.

Unbeknownst to them, Tonks had gotten wind of this and had immediately Flooed to George and Fred's shop, roping them into coming with her. Flooing once more to Hogsmeade, they ran though the small town towards Hogwarts not seeing the two shadowy figures that watched them from the darkness, following them.

Tonks, being an Auror, was in top physical shape and the run took barely any wind from her, Fred and George, more used to Apperating and Broom travel were not so fit, but regular Quidditch kept them healthy enough to dog her heels to the gates of Hogwarts.

"Come on, we've got to go faster" Tonks muttered as she barrelled though the doors and up towards the Infirmary wing.

"The way she's running, you'd think she was in love with Harry" George muttered to Fred.

"Between you me and the garden fence, George, I think she is" Fred replied with a grin.

"He does get all the luck" they both chorused as they finally made it the Infirmary wing.

"Stay here a second, keep watch. If you see any ministry goons, yell loudly and get in here quick" Tonks instructed as she entered the Infirmary.

The sight of him nearly tore down her resolve not to cry; he was pale and he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. However he'd only been at Hogwarts a day, how that could any of this possibly have happened in twenty four hours Tonks had no idea. No one noticed her and she was able to walk right past them and kneel down next to him before anyone saw her.

"Tonks, what are you doing here?" Madam Pomfrey recognised Tonks from her hair, a colour she seemed to like and used in school.

"What happened?" she asked, looking up at the rest of the group.

"I long feared that Harry's dark side would assert itself one day, it appears today is that day" Dumbledore gave an unusually concise answer.

"What do you mean?" Tonks was confused, her eyes darting from person to person.

"To every person there are two sides, good and evil for a simple definition. Most people keep this in balance with varying moods and actions. Harry though has kept his darker nature repressed for a long time. Combine that with his past sufferings and recent grief, his control was lost. I fear my own inactions and mistakes have combined with the forces of fate and released a dark power inside of him" the headmaster explained at length.

"How powerful?" Tonks asked.

"Powerful enough to fling me across a room and through a door with a simple 'Expelliarmus' spell. I just don't know what is causing it" Dumbledore now imparted the full story to Tonks.

Tonks lay her head on Harry's chest, trying to find Harry's heartbeat. She searched for a full two minutes before she used a spell to enhance her hearing and she could finally hear it, and even then, it was soft.

"I can barely hear his heart. By Merlin's beard he seems nearly dead" she sobbed.

"He will recover, he's too much a stubborn bugger not to" Ron assured Tonks.

"Ah Tonks, we have someone coming up the hallway" Fred appeared in the room now, a confused look of apprehension on his face.

"Aurors?" she asked.

"No" Fred replied.

"Death Eaters?" she guessed.

"Worse, I'm afraid" Fred grimaced.

"Who then?" she hissed.

"Mrs. Malfoy" he answered finally.

The children all exchanged a worried look. Narcissa Malfoy was every bit as twisted as her husband and some say twice as cunning, after all, behind every great man is a great woman. Dumbledore recommended the children leave, but as Madam Pomfrey pointed out, in here, her word was law, not Narcissa Malfoy's. Soon the object of their conversation appeared.

Narcissa Malfoy is not an ugly woman, indeed if she would stop sneering for one moment she may even be considered beautiful. But the look on her face, one of total indignation and anger made all her attractiveness fade away. Tonks stood tall, wishing she was in her Auror's robes instead of her civvies.

"Professor Dumbledore, I want Harry Potter expelled and arrested. Start with a charge of assault on my son" her voice, melodic and dark, sent chills across the room.

"Narcissa, so good to see you again. I always said your voice would be very suited to singing, a shame you have not graced us with being a singer" Dumbledore always liked to open on a positive.

"Save your platitudes you deranged geriatric. Nymphadora, arrest that boy immediately. A worthless family member you may be, but not a worthless Auror I hear" Narcissa turned to her niece.

"You have no authority or right to tell me to do anything" Tonks' eyes narrowed dangerously, her grip on her wand tightening.

"If you intend to get loud, Mrs. Malfoy, I demand you to leave my Infirmary immediately. I have sick students; your own son was among them" Madam Pomfrey stood tall and defiant in the face of the outraged aristocrat.

"I will have the minister in on this one Dumbledore. Mark my words" she hissed. Then as quickly as she came, Narcissa left.

"Shame she's an evil woman" Fred said, clicking his tongue.

"Why?" Ginny asked, not really wanting to know.

"Because my dear sister, she has lovely breasts" George answered.

"Her arse wasn't bad either" Fred added.

Ron shuddered very visibly while Tonks looked surprised, if not horrified by the twins' admission of Narcissa Malfoy being attractive. The rest of the group only frowned and shook their heads, believing it to be simply their way of injecting levity into the situation.

"Now to more pressing matters. Undoubtedly there will be attempts to remove Harry from Hogwarts, we must secure him here until he is well enough to be at least sent back to Grimmuld Place, under no circumstances is he now to return to Number 4, Privet Drive" Dumbledore outlined his view.

"Albus he requires constant monitoring when he is like this, I have no idea when he will be strong enough to be moved a long distance" Madam Pomfrey objected.

"The Room of Requirement; we could put him there. If what we need is a safe place to take care of him, he could go there, and it would automatically set itself up for housing him" Hermione was struck with inspiration.

"But he needs full time care. I cannot move between the two, people would get suspicious" Madam Pomfrey argued.

"I can watch him; I did basic medical training at Auror Academy. I can monitor him, and if something drastic happens I can call you" Tonks spoke before she even considered the repercussions of her actions.

"Do you agree with this Albus?" Madam Pomfrey only needed Dumbledore's approval and she would go through with the plan.

"I agree, very well thought Ms. Granger. Poppy, if you will prepare him to be moved, Tonks and I shall prepare the Room of Requirement" Dumbledore nodded to the nurse and turned to leave; Tonks right behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Tonks was silent for the majority of the walk until Dumbledore chose to speak to her.

"I can see there is more to those gloves than I first thought. I also heard a tale that Harry received a very powerful kiss from a very attractive young woman at Platform 9 ¾ before he left for Hogwarts" he said with his eye twinkling.

"Yes, from me. What can I say professor; I can't help but like him. He's a great young man who would make a fine boyfriend for anyone" she replied.

"Yet I know he has only ever had one young lady whom he thought it worth to try and court, and I know that ended in disaster also" Dumbledore retorted.

"If you have an objection about how Harry feels about me or me about him then do me the adult curtesy of saying it plainly" Tonks snapped.

"You misunderstand me, Tonks. Who Harry choses to share that aspect of his life with will be between him and the lady in question. Indeed, it may be you in the end who pulls him from the precipice he has walked to edge of" Dumbledore made his opinion plain.

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked.

"I said I believe Harry's dark side is presenting itself, that much is true. However despite all those that care for him, he is missing that special one on one relationship that binds him to his sanity and happiness. I believe that he has found that link in you; and that you return the affections" Dumbledore explained.

"We are here" he said, recognising the tapestry.

"Well Tonks, think of what Harry needs. And be honest, the room only responds to honest need, not selfish wants" Dumbledore warned.

'I need a place to help Harry heal himself of all his injuries, emotional and physical. I need somewhere that is safe and comfortable for him' Tonks thought.

A large oak door with a brass handle appeared. Tonks grabbed the door thinking one final requirement, the most important of all. A place that Harry could be loved. All her needs were played out upon seeing the room.

A large room with a double bed adorned with silk linen and a curtain occupied one end. One side had stands and floating platforms for the various devices that Harry had hooked onto him to be placed. There was also a sofa, loveseat and a roaring fire. As well as a fully stocked medical supply cabinet. Most importantly of all, it was decorated with images of all of Harry's friends and favourite things.

"Well done Tonks, this is perfect" Dumbledore smiled as he inspected the room.

"Amazing indeed, I wish I had one of these" both Tonks and Dumbledore spun around and saw Sub Zero and Hanzo leaning insolently on the door frame.

"How did you two get here?" she asked.

"We came on that delightful train of yours. However I think it's only important that we are here, I hear strange goings on have been happening" Sub Zero said, eyeing the band aid on Dumbledore's forehead.

"Fine, if you two want to make yourselves useful, go and help Madam Pomfrey escort Harry down here please, he needs protection til we get him here" Tonks instructed.

"Very well, but one condition: tell me if you see a charming lady with a brooch made of ice would you. I would like to make a more proper introduction" Sub Zero said as he left to go and help, Hanzo following.

"I believe I saw Madam Hooch wearing a brooch that looked as if it was made of ice" Dumbledore mentioned, following them so to show them where the Infirmary was.

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Madam Pomfrey had prepared Harry as best she could to move him; all she needed now was an escort because she had no idea where this 'Room of Requirement' was. She was tapping her foot impatiently when Dumbledore appeared with two very strange looking men. After assuring the nurse they were friends and here to help, they got moving.

"So, are you two Aurors?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Nope, we're not even Wizards" Sub Zero answered with a grin.

"Then how on Earth did you get in here?" the nurse was amazed.

"It is what we do" Sub Zero answered cryptically.

A loud clang heralded the entrance of Peeves the poltergeist, Hogwarts most annoying Ghost in residence and trouble maker extraordinaire. Idol of Fred and George, and conversely, Peeves respected them for all the mischief they had caused in their time. Madam Pomfrey was shouting abuse at the ghost trying to get him to go away. Peeves only laughed, but then he stopped.

"No, you can't be here, it is impossible" Peeves pointed a shaking finger at Hanzo.

A ghost sees the world very differently: to Peeves, all the humans in Hogwarts appear as slightly dull but coloured forms that he can easily identify. However if one were to see through Peeves' eyes now, they would see that Hanzo is not human. His form was made of fire, with ghastly red eyes in a skulls head looking back at Peeves.

"No, Peeves wished never to see you again, how are you here?" Peeves had shrunk to the floor now, trembling as Hanzo advanced on him.

"Be gone" Hanzo's low grating voice was like a knife through Peeves' nonexistent heart.

"AAAAAAGGGHHHHH" the frightened ghost flew away, screaming blue murder to the halls as he went.

"He won't be a bother for a while now, let us continue" Hanzo muttered and continued walking.

Madam Pomfrey gave a questioning look to Sub Zero who only shrugged in response. It was not his place to tell Hanzo's story to anyone, not even Tonks, his goddaughter. Though Sub Zero knew the time would come when Hanzo could no longer remain silent, it would do no good to press the issue…

…He still had the scar from when _he_ pushed the issue.

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Hermione was in the common room with Ginny, they were both studying for their Charms class. Ron was with Luna by the lake skipping stones. Other students were also milling around doing various things such as study or wizards chess. Some couples were even snuggling on the couches. Hermione felt a little depressed. She felt very strongly for Ginny but, she didn't want to bring any trouble down on the younger girl's head.

"You're worried about something. What is it?" Hermione swore that Ginny had a form of ESP; the red head knew what she was thinking nearly all the time.

"Well, I'm not getting anywhere with this Charms homework and neither are you. To be honest I wouldn't mind just having a cuddle, but…" Hermione trailed off.

"But what?" Ginny asked, smiling a little.

"I'm afraid" she answered simply.

"Of what?" Ginny knew she'd have to prod Hermione along to get to the bottom of this.

"Of them, hurting you. I know none of them would have a go at you physically. You're too well known as a powerful witch for them to do that. But, not all hurts have to be physical" Hermione was still dancing around the reason.

"For the smartest girl in Hogwarts, you are awfully forgetful sometimes" Ginny smiled and much to Hermione's shock, slid onto her lap.

"What was it Hanzo said to Harry when he saw us? Love is a matter of soul. It's about how we feel about each other and no one else" Ginny smiled.

Ginny leaned in and kissed Hermione very softly on the lips. A gasp washed across the common room at Ginny's bold actions. Hermione on the other hand had frozen stiff, but the tenderness of the kiss soon melted her and she wrapped her arms around Ginny's waist.

"Alright you lot, quit gawking, this isn't a peep show" a recently returned Ron called out.

"Mate we, ah, had no idea your sister was on the other side of the fence" Seamus said, trying to keep Ron's glare from killing him.

"I missed the time when that it became your business" Ron retorted.

Seamus shrunk lower into his seat, as did most of the blokes. Ginny however groaned in embarrassment at her brother's antics while Hermione chuckled. It was sweet, in an annoying kind of way.

The girls in the common room began gossiping amongst themselves. No doubt Hermione would be on the receiving end of many, many questions from the likes of Lavender, and Parvarti. Ginny would most likely not be questioned since she was known for being a bit fierce when she's confronted with a personal matter.

"How's Harry?" Ginny asked, sliding back off Hermione, laying her head in her lap.

"He's safe now, Tonks and Hanzo are with him" Ron said, sitting in a chair opposite them.

"Hanzo's here?" Hermione was a little surprised.

"So is Sub Zero, but he's, otherwise occupied" Ron said with a chuckle.

"Doing what?" Ginny knew Sub Zero was a very, basic person.

"You'll never believe this: but I think he's trying to romance Madam Hooch" Ron said with a laugh.

"That sounds like an interesting experiment" Hermione looked a bit amused.

"I think that's what Tonks said, but she was a bit distracted at the time" Ron had an unusually thoughtful look on his face.

"You think there is more to them than that kiss at the train station don't you?" Ginny asked.

"Come on, you saw her in the Infirmary. I didn't see any of us listening to his heart and crying like that" Ron said.

"Yeah, that's true" Ginny admitted.

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-------The Subconscious Mind of Harry Potter------

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Harry opened his eyes and saw a tall figure in a white robe and a white mask. Harry stood up and dusted off his pants and adjusted his glasses.

"Who are you?" Harry asked.

The figure said nothing and held out a playing card. The Ace of Hearts. Harry took the card and looked it over. Nothing special. Just a plain old playing card that one might find in any deck of cards.

"What the hell does this mean?" Harry asked.

"Turn around" the figure replied.

"Why?" Harry seemed a little nervous.

"Turn around" was all the figure would say.

"Why should I?" Harry yelled hotly.

"If you are a true Gryffindor, you will turn around" this time the figure said something different.

Harry stood fast for a while, not wanting to turn around. He stared at the hooded figure for what seemed like hours, but he was unmoving. Like a statue he simply stood with an impassive facial expression, eyes covered by the hood.

"Okay, fine, I will turn around" Harry said and summoning up all his courage, he turned. Only to come face to face with himself.

Only this version of him looked healthy, and very, carefree. This served only to confuse the already frazzled Harry as his double smirked and shook his head.

"This is what happens when you suppress your feelings lad, they surface in a most inappropriate and inopportune manner later" the other Harry said.

"What do you mean, I don't suppress my feelings, I'm told in my forth and fifth years I was rather vocal about them" Harry retorted, feeling a bit silly to be yelling at himself.

"No, that was you letting off steam, there is a small difference. That was misplaced frustration. What you try to suppress is all the dark, cruel and mean thoughts that most normal people have" Other Harry explained.

"No, those are the kind of thoughts people like Voldermort have-" Harry was cut off by his doppelganger.

"And people like Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and, even our beloved Tonks" Other Harry made a face.

"None of them think it would be fun to murder innocent people" Harry snarled, fists clenched.

"True, Voldermort thinks in a very extreme way. But do you honestly believe it's wrong to feel like you want to just deck a bloke. It doesn't make you evil, only human" Other Harry was idly examining his nails now.

"If I let my darker nature out, it would be dangerous" Harry whispered.

"Only if you let it get as strong as it is now. There is a great power locked inside you, lad. If you harness it, it will give you the power to do anything you want. Defeat Voldermort, take over the god damned world if you want" Other Harry saw a flash of brief excitement cross Harry's face.

"No, I would never do anything like that, only unfeeling people like Voldermort do that" Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Must I explain this further? For all his evil deeds, Voldermort is only one side of the coin of human nature. Albus Dumbledore would be the other side" Other Harry was getting a bit frustrated himself

"Dumbledore has never killed anyone" Harry claimed.

"This is true, to a certain degree. Dumbledore has hinted that he knew Tom Riddle when he was a school boy, and I bet he suspected that Tom was up to no good. Yet he did nothing" Other Harry now got right in Harry's face.

"How many people do you think would have never died if he had just set the Aurors on him, hmm? Or more to the point, how many people have died due to that inaction? You said it to Dumbledore in such eloquent words 'The only thing worse than the deeds of evil men is the inaction of good men' or words to that effect. You are right, although your target was Draco, it should have been Dumbledore" Other Harry was now so close that Harry could see the red eyes.

"You're Voldermort aren't you?" Harry jumped immediately to the conclusion that this was the Dark Lord's latest way to send him over the deep end.

"Oh no, I am far worse than that. I am the culmination of every bad dream, bad and evil thought and every dark desire that you have, and yet suppress. Your greatest fear is not fear itself, but rather fear of _yourself_ or the dark side of your nature" Other Harry made his true purpose known.

"You're me?" Harry asked incredulously.

"No, I am part of you, just as tall, white and boring over there is" Other Harry said, pointing to the man who gave Harry the Ace of Hearts.

"Here, place this card back to back with the one you have now" Other Harry, now smoking a cigar, threw him a card: the Ace of Spades.

Harry held both the cards and looked at them. One black and one red, one a heart, the other not quite a heart, but the same shape almost. Much like the two standing either side of him. It seemed like Other Harry had said his piece and now it was the white robed man's turn.

"Light and dark are polar opposites, young man. Without one you cannot have the other. Good and evil aren't sides you must chose to follow, but sides you must balance out in your life. Evil people like Voldermort are the result of an imbalance in of those scales, likewise Dumbledore is also a result of imbalance" he held up a set of scales to prove his point.

Harry took these words to heart and, as instructed placed the cards together, back to back. The result was for him to be seized by energy and have his two cryptic speakers dissolve into dust and be sucked into the cards, which then also dissolved. Then Harry was hit with a jolt like none he'd felt before and he was thrown several feet backwards, landing at the feet of another person.

"Oh Merlin please not another riddle spewing vision" Harry groaned.

"Well, not riddle spewing at any rate" a jovial voice that Harry thought long gone sailed in his ears.

"Sirius!" Harry cried, clambering to his feet.

"In the, ectoplasm I think this stuff is called" he said with a grin.

"Oh God Sirius it's so good to see you again" Harry cried, throwing his arms around him.

"Come on lad, we both know I'm not, alive. And if you don't starting bucking up, you won't be for much longer" Sirius said, none the less returning the hug.

"I don't deserve to live after getting you killed, and if I die then my dark side cannot hurt anyone" Harry sobbed.

"Harry, I'm gonna say this only once. It was not your fault. All people do stupid shit sometimes, and you did, let us not make light of that, but, I still also chose to go and throw my arse into the fire at the Ministry. I died doing what I swore an oath to do, to protect you" Sirius had dislodged Harry and given him a firm shake.

"But, still, I felt that dark power in my trying to take me over. I fight for the light Sirius, how can I do that with darkness in me like that?" Harry asked.

"Harry, fighting for light is a huge misnomer. Because the instant you choose to fight, for good or for evil, people will die and people will get hurt. You can only fight knowing your cause is just, but that doesn't make it any easier to fight" Sirius explained.

"I don't understand, but you know I'd die to protect my friends" Harry said, shaking his head.

"Nor should you have to. As for that other part, well, it is very easy in life to find something to die for Harry; the hard part of life is finding something worth living for" Sirius spoke such wise words, Harry wondered if it was really him.

"Something worth, _living_ for" Harry repeated.

"Yes, I also happen to know that you and my favourite cousin are shall we simply say, emotionally and spiritually intertwined" Sirius said with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, uh yeah" Harry suddenly found the ground very interesting.

"The love of another on that level is paradoxically worth both living and dying for, Harry. But please, don't leave her. Because as her cousin, if you break her heart I will be obliged by honour to kill you" Sirius said in mock threatening fashion.

"I would never hurt her" Harry yelled defiantly.

"Well lad, she's sitting with you, hoping you're not. So get out of here, wake up and prove to her that it'll take a bigger shock than that to take you from her" Sirius, now with a mile wide grin, stood orating with his arms flailing dramatically.

"Okay" Harry answered.

"Good lad. Lily and James would be proud as anything with you. Goodbye Harry, it is my hope you shall not see me again until you are a frail old man with a ton of kids and grandkids etcetera, etcetera" Sirius gave a final flourish with his arms and disappeared.

"Goodbye Sirius" Harry paused for a moment, feeling as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders; then he looked up, seeing Tonks' stricken face.

"Tonks, I'm coming back" Harry said and jumped, arms outstretched.

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-------The Room of Requirement------

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Tonks sat looking at Harry; the rapid movement of his eyes telling her he was experiencing something. Rubbing her tired eyes, Tonks went over to a bench, requiring up some water and a hot pot of tea. Behind her, Harry noiselessly opened his eyes. Despite feeling sore, he got up out of bed quietly. Tonks was standing in front of the bench, looking hunched over.

'Something worth living for, damn right' Harry thought and crept up behind her.

Tonks was still looking down into the cup of untouched tea when she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist and hug her tightly. A head also came to rest on her back. Shocked, she tried to turn but instead ended up tripping over, bringing both her and Harry to the floor.

"Harry?" she asked disbelievingly, placing a trembling hand on his cheek.

"Yeah, sadder but wiser and sore and sorry" he answered with a weak grin.

Tonks could scarcely believe it. Not two hours ago he was lying in a bed, his heartbeat barely present. Now here he was, atop her on the floor, his heart beating so strong she could feel it as if it were her own heart, although she suspected that it too was beating fast. Giving it no further thought, Tonks pulled Harry into a bone crushing hug, sitting up as she grabbed him.

"Don't you ever frighten me like that again, or I'll kill you" she sniffed, smiling however.

"Sirius said something like that to me when I was, indisposed" Harry whispered.

"What?" Tonks drew back and searched Harry's face for signs of a joke or mild dementia.

"Well, I may as well start from the beginning…" Harry then spent the better part of two hours explaining.

Tonks sat, riveted as Harry told of his bizarre mental encounters. When he finished explaining the part with Sirius, Tonks theorised what she thought had happened. It was Tonks' belief that what Harry saw was indeed Sirius, or indeed an image of him based on all that Harry knew, thought and experienced with Sirius. Through the familiar image of Sirius it was probably Harry's common sense finally getting through to him.

"Yeah, he finally did" Harry looked a little forlorn still.

"Harry you're not still blaming yourself for his death are you, it wasn't–" Harry held up his hand, to cut Tonks off.

"No, it isn't my fault, but the fact is I acted foolishly, and Sirius only came because he acted the same, we were both fools, Tonks. So, while I didn't actually kill him, I set in motion the chain of events that did" Harry explained his new found reasoning.

"Well, as my dad is known to say, shit happens, but the quicker you build a bridge, the quicker you'll get over it" Tonks gently caressed Harry's hair.

"Yeah, say, did you get your present?" Harry asked, smiling broadly now.

"Yes I did, thank you Harry. It was…I can't even express in words how much I love them" Tonks smiled a smile that Harry would kill for.

Taking Sirius's words into serious consideration, Harry leaned in and kissed Tonks again, only this time, both parties knew how to proceed. The Room of Requirement knew their needs, and the floor beneath them changed from hard wood to a soft mattress with a silk sheet.

Neither of them noticed however; Tonks and Harry were to busy with each other. Guided by the patient and more experienced Tonks, Harry soon learnt how to _really_ kiss. Slowly he dragged his lips across hers, the friction causing them to swell. Tonks groaned into Harry's mouth and gently flicked her tongue across his lips.

Harry had never done that with Cho, and as a result he opened his mouth to gasp. With a salacious smirk, Tonks gently slid her tongue into his mouth, gently rubbing the top of Harry's with her own. The poor boy was in Seventh Heaven and his eyes had rolled back a little, still having enough bodily control to run his fingers through Tonks' hair.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Hanzo was sitting in the corner, meditating. He'd watched them both with an unpassionate expression. One memory fragment that had stood out thanks to a photo supplied by Sub Zero was what the pair had done to her first boyfriend, a less than honourable young man.

_He had tried to make Tonks fellate him, but she got very scared and refused. He tried more forcibly, but thanks to her spending too much time with Hanzo as a child, she'd picked up some of his Hapkido and managed to escape, feeling somewhat distraught. Hanzo got wind of it and after a few strong drinks with Sub Zero, they found out his name. They then proceeded to kidnap him._

_The next day Tonks found a Polaroid on her door: Hanzo and Sub Zero had mummified him from shoulder to toe in gaffer tape, used a rope to hang him upside down from a tree. A small note mentioned they'd forced him to deep throat a six inch rubber cock and then taped his mouth shut and hung a sign beneath him that said "How do YOU like it?" while they stood below him, grinning insolently into the camera._

Hanzo doubted such an action would be required with young Harry, but still, one would want to be assured of his worthiness. Teleporting himself out of the Room of Requirement, Hanzo took to guarding the door from other students and teachers.


	5. Chapter 5

Madam Hooch had had a bad. A very bad day. New students learning to fly was a trying situation on its own to begin with, but the fact that Slytherin were getting worse attitudes every year wasn't helping. So she'd had to separate the Slytherin house from the rest of the class and teach them individually. One thing she noticed was that that Slytherin seemed to rally behind Draco Malfoy and Gryffindor rallied behind Harry Potter.

'I wonder how they Slytherin house felt about Harry injuring dear Draco today?' she thought with a malicious glint her yellow, hawk like eyes.

Contrary to most people, Madam Hooch hated the summer end of the Hogwarts calendar and was much more inclined to the winter months of the year. Her office was the worst in summer, a big window let the heat right in no matter if her curtains were drawn or not. Her dislike for summer, an apparent lack of romance and other sort of activities in her life had earned her the unimaginative name of 'Ice Queen' from the less intelligent sects of Hogwarts female students.

"Sometimes I wish I could kill them though. If only to stop them giggling" she muttered, approaching her office door.

Muttering its password, Madam Hooch walked in and was given the most amazing surprise of her life. Her office was cool, despite a sun outside doing fairly nasty things to the window, the office was very cool. There were also large ice sculptures dotted around the room, including one that went in a spiral slide from the top of her office to the floor.

"What on earth?" she was confused, but was unable to keep a very gleeful look from appearing on her face.

"Yes. I feared I may have gone overboard with the slide, but it was Ms. Lovegood's idea. Very strange young girl that one" a voice made Madam Hooch turn around.

Sub Zero was in a chair, likewise made of ice and was sipping ice water from a glass made of ice (Madam Hooch wondered for a moment if Sub Zero had spent too long in an ice cave). He was wearing the same outfit as when he assisted her in defeating the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade. This allowed Madam Hooch to recognise him immediately.

"You, you were in Hogsmeade the other day" she shouted at him.

"Indeed I was, sorry it took me this long to track you down but I forgot to ask your name when I met you the first time" Sub Zero was trying to be charming, however from him it seemed humorously nervous.

"My name is Rolanda, now, what are you doing in here?" she asked, feeling unthreatened she was casual with her words.

"Well, I thought that would be obvious" he replied with a grin, hidden because of his mask.

"Well it isn't, unless you are some deranged Fairy Godfather here to give me an ice made amusement park in my office" she said with a smile.

"I resent deranged, but why not have your own amusement park. As you already know, this won't melt" he put down his glass and jumped to his feet.

Sub Zero was a tall man, towering well over six feet tall and Rolanda was only a short woman, not much taller than five foot nine, so it was a bit unnerving to look up at him. Sub Zero removed his mask and placed it on the chair he had been sitting on. His face was lined with a middle aged refinery and dignity, a long scar going down the right side of his face: his old death mark.

Well, Rolanda, my name is Sub Zero and I am honoured to meet you" he said, bowing.

"You've been practicing that haven't you?" she asked with a grin.

"For about ten minutes, how was it?" Sub Zero asked.

"Very nice, was this your first idea or one of many?" Rolanda asked, enjoying the easy banter.

"Actually my first thought was to strip naked and prostrate myself across your desk" he admitted.

Rolanda snorted, then burst out laughing at the very thought of anyone willing to go through that much trouble to find out her name. It was in its own bizarre way, very sweet of him but also bordering in total and complete madness.

"What may I ask put you of that, stimulating approach?" she asked after calming down.

"Well, I thought for a first real meeting, it might be a bit, rude. Also, master of ice or not, cold does cause shrinkage and, I didn't want to offend any guests" Sub Zero admitted.

"You are a very strange man, and Sub Zero, what kind of a name is that?" Rolanda asked, still smiling.

"My brother and I were named Sub Zero, after our father" he explained, making his voice sound mysterious.

"So is that how you address yourself to anyone?" Rolanda asked.

"No, Tonks just calls me Ray" Sub Zero admitted.

"So, you are an Auror" she said with glee.

"Nope" Sub Zero was grinning widely now.

"But, that freezing charm you did on the Death Eaters…" Rolanda trailed off when she saw Sub Zero shaking his head.

"No, what I did is a deeper power, not to just make things freeze, but to control the very element of ice itself. That is what I can do" Sub Zero demonstrated by creating several shapes with ice in his hand.

When he caught the almost wondrous look in Rolanda's eyes he upped the ante. Now using a mist, he made it look as if they were standing on clouds. The mist was cool and pleasant to touch, demonstrating how much control Sub Zero had over its power.

"Well I'm afraid, Ray, that I have another class soon, and a Quidditch match in a few hours, and so I must prepare and depart for those" Rolanda seemed to be have fun; she'd used a water spell to create snow and had made a small snow man.

"As you say, this will all be here when you get back" Sub Zero understood obligation so her leaving didn't bother him.

Smiling to himself, Sub Zero bowed and retreated from the room, mask in hand. As Rolanda shut the door gently, Sub Zero began walking a very cunning plan running through his warrior mind.

Oh yes, I think I will do exactly that Sub Zero remembered that Hanzo would be at that room where Harry was.

"Better check back with him, in case that magical ministry decides to do something foolish" Sub Zero replaced his mask and began running.

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Harry and Tonks were still in the room of requirement: Harry still felt very weak but was up to having guests. Dumbledore had been the first to visit: the two of them had a sit down and a long talk, at the end of which Harry apologised profusely for hurting his Headmaster.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much Harry; I've been hurt far worse in my time" Dumbledore assured.

"Still, I had no right to fly off the handle like that, at you or Draco. Despite everything I think I really put the wind up him" Harry said with a rueful smile.

"Indeed, although we are not as the muggles say, out of the woods yet. Mrs. Malfoy was here during your convalescence and was demanding your expulsion" Dumbledore warned.

"Think she'll take it to Scrimgeour, he may not be as soft as Fudge but money still speaks an enchanting language" Harry mentioned.

"It is doubtful that Rufus would do anything for her, but if she changes tactics and goes via official channels and calls the Aurors, you may have to answer before a full tribunal again, but personally, given her husband's reason for imprisonment, they may just warn you" Dumbledore gave Harry a reproachful look.

"Yeah, I gathered as much" Harry said, rubbing his hair.

"For now though, I daresay you can return to your dorms, although practical lessons in Defence against Dark Arts are something you should pass up. And I must insist that you allow Ms. Weasley take your place as Seeker" Dumbledore knew this would be hard on Harry.

"Oh, you really are punishing me" Harry joked.

Dumbledore chuckled and stood up, dusting his robes off and saying goodbye to Tonks and Harry. Harry was then set upon by Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Luna and the twins also making an appearance to see how their friend was.

"Aside from feeling very silly, I'm fine" Harry said, drinking a butterbeer. The house elf Winky had provided the drinks and some food.

Tonks was content just to watch Harry converse and joke with his friends, something he got precious little time to do. Soon however, Tonks became aware of the looks Harry's friends were directing towards her, her only response was to let a predatory grin melt onto her face.

"So, Harry. Fred and I recently were made aware that you and the lovely Tonks have become, shall we say, an item" George leered at Harry, making the younger man go very red.

Tonks' ears became very alert, listening for Harry's answer. This would be stepping stone number one. Everyone else gave Fred and George a bit of snap and a whack for asking such an invasive question. Harry knew however that he would have to answer and did so.

"Yeah, we have. And this makes me, the single most blessed person in this room" Harry answered.

Tonks smirked: he was all hers and no one else could have him. The severe nervousness in his voice as he spoke acted as a better lie detector than any truth serum. Snuggling down onto the bed, sighing contentedly with a very smug look on her face, Tonks went to sleep.

"Well, let us be the first to ask the other burning question" Fred was about to speak when the door opened, revealing Madam Pomfrey.

She ushered the students out, saying that she needed to examine Harry and that it would require privacy and quiet: something she knew was not attainable while George and Fred were around. And despite the quiet nature of the others, she did genuinely need privacy for the examination.

"Okay Harry, take your shirt off; I need to listen to your heart and lungs" Madam Pomfrey requested.

Harry gingerly removed his shirt and jumper. He had a few old scars from various mishaps on the Quidditch field and other sources. Using her wand like a stethoscope, Madam Pomfrey checked his heart rate and ability to breathe. Satisfied that those aspects were operating at capacity; she examined his eyes and reflexes.

"Well, despite needing to gain some weight to bring you up to proper weight for your age; you are fine" Madam Pomfrey explained as she began preparing a potion; Tonks now sitting behind Harry, hugging him.

"I dare say Mr. Potter that most of the healing you will need will be here" she tapped his head with her wand.

"Something I am sure Ms. Tonks here will be happy to help you with" a smile was exchanged between the two women on a level Harry could not fathom.

Madam Pomfrey left the room, giving Harry and Tonks some privacy. Harry, feeling very tired simply leaned back into Tonks' arms.

"I don't deserve your affection you know" Harry said as Tonks began to massage his shoulders.

"Oh and why is that?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"You should be with a grown man, with a steady job and a disposition that doesn't lead to seemingly regular weirdness and attempts on his life. Instead you're stuck with a skinny, underfed boy with severely temperamental disposition with people trying to kill him on a regular basis" Harry extrapolated his thinking.

"What about you? What do you deserve?" Tonks asked seriously.

"Well if the universe were truly fair on these matters, I'd probably have ended up with Cho Chang. Instead fate bestows untold fortune upon me, bringing an enchanting, funny and never dull woman into my life. I meant what I said Tonks, in this relationship, I am the one who gets the better end of it" Harry was feeling very self depreciating.

"Well, Harry James Potter, let me tell you what I think I have got in this relationship. I believe I have a young man who is wise beyond his years. A young man of courage and principal, a young man with strength of will and character to do what is right no matter how hard it may be" Tonks paused and turned Harry around so he faced her.

"And I believe I got a young man with a good heart that cares for me on an emotional and spiritual basis as well as a physical one. A young man who will grow into possibly one of the finest men this world will ever know" Tonks kissed away a tear on Harry's face.

"I take it no one has ever, given you that kind of praise before" Tonks asked, cradling his head in bosom.

"No, not really, least of all the most beautiful woman I've ever met" Harry couldn't resist calling her beautiful; he liked how the word rolled off his tongue.

"Well you remember it well; because so help me I'll send Howlers to you if you forget it and make sure this whole bloody school knows what kind of man you are, and show all those young women what they missed out on" Tonks teased him, poking him on the nose.

"Well, threat of Howlers alone well ensure I never forget; mind you, it would do my fragile ego well to have a woman with a voice as sexy as yours tell my school I've got so many good qualities" Harry joked with her in return.

"Nice try, not to subtle but nice try anyway" Tonks shoved Harry so he fell onto some cushions.

What resulted was Harry's first ever Lover's Pillow Fight.

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Harry spent that rest of that day in the Room of Requirement just, having fun or snogging with Tonks, which was about all the exercise he was likely to get for the next few weeks. He also told her about his early life, something that almost broke her heart to hear about. Likewise she shared stories of her own childhood, including the story of what Hanzo and Sub Zero did to her first boyfriend, conjuring a copy of the picture to prove it. Soon though it became time for her to return to Grimmuld Place, Lupin wanted to know what was going on, as did Moody.

"So, will you come for the Halloween Masquerade Ball?" Harry asked.

"Harry, the ball was my idea. You bet I'll be there. So dress nicely, and I mean nicely" Tonks used a very threatening voice, laced with humour.

"It will be on the top of my priorities list" Harry assured her.

"Good, I'll see you in a few weeks Harry" Tonks blew him a kiss as she walked out and went towards the front doors of Hogwarts.

"I look forward to it" Harry called out as he walked towards Gryffindor common room, a sort of resigned weariness on his face.

Three weeks time would herald the first Hogsmeade weekend and Harry resolved to get himself some very fine dress robes for the occasion. If a woman as beautiful as Tonks would consent to dance and be seen with him in such a social event, then he was going to make damn sure he rose to the occasion.

Harry's return to the common room however was not noticed as most of the students were crowded around the noticeboard. Curious as ever, Harry approached the board and tried to see what was on it. After a few people noticed him and moved out of his way, Harry could see why they were so riveted. It was an article from the Daily Prophet:

'_NEW SECTIONS OF MINISTY OF MAGIC'_

'_In a surprise move today, Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour has announced that he has newly formed two new sections of the Ministry of Magic. Named the 'Department of Truth' and 'Peace Office', these two new sections were created to help in the war against You Know Who. The Department of Truth's goings on will be treated as if they are an Unspeakable section and none of its staff or even its representative is known to the public. The Peace Office however is to be headed by former Undersecretary Delores Jane Umbridge, also a former Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

"This is very bad" Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Why?" Ron asked, genuinely confused.

"A couple of years ago Ron, I read a book called Nineteen Eighty Four, it had Ministry departments much like those ones, although ironically, the Ministry of Peace was in charge of a never ending war and the Ministry of Peace's sole purpose was to constantly rewrite history to suite the government's version of events. Propaganda" Hermione explained.

Harry had heard of the book but never read it. He had once heard a teacher at his primary school call some security measures she encountered overseas as Orwellian, he never did understand that description. He did however know what propaganda was; and the very possibility that the Ministry of Magic was contemplating such action was very chilling.

"Think we're in trouble?" Harry asked.

"Not sure, they could just be more stupid moves on his part, like locking up Stan Shunpike, but what has me worried are two things. One, the Department of Truth is unable to be put under public scrutiny and the Peace Office is under the control of Umbridge" Hermione furthered her reservations.

"Surely something like this would have to go before the people…" Harry trailed off as he remembered something: never before had he heard of any kind of Wizard Parliament.

"Hey, wait a minute. Surely forming a new section of the ministry would have to be approved by another ruling body or the public, I mean, isn't that what Democracy is about?" Harry was feeling oddly nervous.

"I'm not sure; bills like this obviously can't be tabled in the House of Commons, so at best guess only the Wizengamot can approve or disapprove of such an action. And since most of Dumbledore's supporters resigned from their positions last year, Fudge filled them with his own 'yes men' and like minded individuals" Hermione was now holding Ron and Harry as a rapt audience.

"So this isn't good then?" Ron asked, hoping for a yes or no answer.

"No, it's not good at all" Hermione shook her head sadly.

The students slowly left the noticeboard, talking amongst themselves, occasionally looking at Harry. Harry chuckled; yes he'd most likely be the talk of Hogwarts for the next week or so.

'I did give quite a performance after all' Harry lowered his head, still a little ashamed of losing it the way he did.

Soon, Harry decided he was very tired and went up to bed. The other students were staying awake a little longer: Ravenclaw had won the Quidditch match that day and they were celebrating; others who were fans of Ravenclaw also or just good sportsmen and sportswomen.

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------Ministry of Magic------

Delores Umbridge was a very cunning and unscrupulous woman. Her own political manoeuvring had ensured that she was kept on when Fudge was sacked and made herself seem so good at her job. For her efforts she was indeed rewarded with heading this newest department. Under direct control were several new Aurors and some of the more, conservative existing ones.

"Well, time to set the country straight" she said and began writing on a parchment.

Umbridge was writing up the first act to help combat dark wizards. The Watchers would be a voluntary organisation, all one would be required to do was wear a red and white armband and be observant for any dark behaviour. Recruiting young people would be her main objective.

The legislation would allow any member of the public to come to Aurors anonymously and give information. The Aurors would also be given increased powers in matters of detention, and information extraction. Penalties for many offences, including the underage magic statute would incur a six month stint in Azkaban.

"Yes, these are the first steps on creating a peaceful Wizarding Britain" she smiled and sealed the parchment and sent it to Scrimgeour.

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---------12 Grimmuld Place---------

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Tonks arrived back at Grimmuld Place only to be practically set upon by Lupin and the returned Mad Eye. After calming them both down; Tonks sat and explained what had happened. The grin on Mad Eye's face when he heard how powerful Harry had been for a few minutes was very disconcerting while Lupin grew a bit grim upon hearing of Harry's devastating attack on Malfoy.

"Is he going to get into trouble?" Lupin asked, casting a worried glance at Tonks.

"Well by all rights he should, however, that would involve revealing what Draco had said to Harry, and since it involved Sirius, I doubt they'll try for that. Dumbledore's main concern is that Harry may get carted off to St. Mungo's or Azkaban as an order from the Minister" Tonks explained, her hair changing from pink to red and back again.

"Hmm, if that happens we'd have to hide him, but that means we'd be going up against the Ministry, which is some pretty big guns. Can we do that?" Lupin looked worried.

"We could, but it would mean really abusing my friendship with Sub Zero" Tonks admitted.

"How so?" Mad Eye asked, training his blue eye on Tonks.

"Well, we could either ask Sub Zero to hide him in the headquarters of the Lin Kuei or, bring his men in to fight with us" Tonks didn't want to ask that of her friend.

"How many men has he got?" Lupin stared wide eyed.

"Over a thousand I think" Tonks guessed.

"A thousand men, as powerful as he is?" Mad Eye looked as if Christmas had come early.

"Not with his power, but each of them would be trained in his martial arts styles and espionage and other ninja like disciplines" Tonks let the bomb drop.

"Wow, when you said to Severus that you had some good contacts, we had no idea you had such a person at your disposal" Lupin was positively bouncing with renewed hope.

"I don't want to ask him to commit all those people to us though, this isn't his fight" Tonks objected.

"While that it is true for now, how long until Voldermort makes himself known to the world. It's going to involve him eventually. The more he helps now, the less he loses later" Mad Eye put the grim truth to Tonks.

"I know, but I can't ask him. One of you two will have to" Tonks replied and walked upstairs.

"Hmm, they must be good friends. Although in all fairness it would be hard to ask a friend to commit these kinds of resources to us, considering we're nearly renegades" Lupin admitted and sat down.

Moody said nothing: it was getting close to the full moon and as much as he respected Remus, he'd keep an eye on him at all times during this time. Truth be told, Moody's paranoia was the only kind not minded by anyone since it was more his nature than his attitude. Moody had even been worried about Harry going funny on them at one stage.

"True, but still, something about that Sub Zero character is very, odd" Moody admitted.

"Everyone's a bit odd according to you Mad Eye" Lupin said and closed his eyes; he felt very tired.

Mad Eye said nothing and went back into the kitchen, pouring over a copy of the Daily Prophet, reading and re-reading the same article that hung on Gryffindor's noticeboard. Like Hermione, Moody wanted to read through the pomp and between the lines. However, like Hermione again, all the suspect evidence Moody could come up with from the article was the fact that Department of Truth was headed by Unspeakables and that Peace Office was headed by that sow Umbridge.

"There is a foul plot afoot here, I can smell it" the old Auror growled as he slapped the paper down on the table.

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September passed without much more incident; Harry saw little of Sub Zero and Hanzo. Where they had been hiding was anyone's guess, although most students noticed a distinct lack of Peeves being a pest, even Filch was smiling a little at that.

Another bizarre thing that some students noticed was that Madam Hooch walked around not only smiling a great deal, but she was humming too. Although hardly a Snape with different reproductive methods, Madam Hooch is not known for her sociable nature. Halloween approached fast, and so did the masquerade ball.

"I hope my dress robes are okay" Harry muttered for what could only be described as the billionth time that morning.

"I swear Harry, if you don't stop saying that I'm going to deck you" Ron groaned from his bed.

"Sorry, but, I'm worried that I'll make Tonks look a little, silly, if my robes are no good" Harry admitted.

"Harry, this is probably the only time I'm ever going to give you relationship advice, so listen. For whatever reason Tonks has chosen pursue that kind of intimacy with you, it isn't because you look good in dress robes" Ron had swung himself upwards and was looking Harry in the eye.

"Very profound, Ronald" a dreamy voice floated across the room towards them.

"Hey Luna" Harry greeted casually.

"Hello, Luna. You look good, someone must be feeling lucky" Ron smirked at his girlfriend.

"That was good advice you gave to Harry, Ron" Luna ignored her boyfriend's appreciative stares and casually sat on his lap.

"I'm good for that sort of advice about once a year. He's on his own now" Ron replied, wrapping his arms around Luna's waist and resting his head on her back.

Harry left them alone: no doubt the kissing would begin soon and there was only so much of it he could take. Leaving the dorm with a red face and a nervous mind, he wandered down to the common room: Parvarti and Padma were helping Hermione and Ginny try on dresses.

The twins were some of a select few who were truly uncaring to Hermione and Ginny's sexual preference: by happenstance, their aunt was gay and as such had instilled in them the same sort of message that Hanzo had imparted when he first met them.

It had been rough going for a while; some of the girls left dead animals in Hermione's bed and wrote abusive messages in the girls' bathroom about them. Despite her anger, Hermione refused to sink to that level and simply ignored it, but it got to Ginny pretty bad. The only thing that stopped more direct abuse was the simple fact that everyone knew her brothers and her friends would rain down a shit storm of trouble on them.

'I wonder how Larry is doing?' Harry thought as he sat down to be the objective male judge, as Padma called him, on the dresses chosen for his friends.

_Larry was a seventh year with fewer brains than a kettle. Being in Ravenclaw that came as a great surprise to all involved but, one day he upset Hermione so much that she locked herself in a closet and refused to come out for a few hours. Again the creatively sadistic side of Sub Zero manifested itself._

_During dinner that night, the upset Hermione being finally coaxed out by the supportive Patil twins and her other friends were treated to a huge shock. The doors of the great hall flung open and in walked Sub Zero, hopping behind him was Larry, cocooned in gaffer tape from head to toe: a snorkel for breathing and a large ball of ice near his crotch. As he walked past it became clear that the ice was frozen around his genitals and his hands were only just able to reach and hold it up. Sub Zero had sat him on a chair in front of everyone._

"_Okay, you can just sit here and think about what you've been saying to people. That ice will melt in around fifteen minutes. Now don't move" he had said and then presented Hermione with a letter._

_It was from Larry's mother, Mrs. Lucktar, apologising for her son's shameful behaviour with assurances that Professor Glacier (Sub Zero grinned) would make the boy learn his lesson and soon he would be man enough to come and say sorry himself._

"Harry!" Parvati snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.

"Sorry, remembering something funny. Are they done?" he asked.

"Are they done? Harry works of art like these dresses and their wearers are not 'done' they are 'completed'. And I assure you that they are complete" Padma spoke incredulously.

"You two are doing wonders for my education on the opposite gender" Harry cracked.

"Well we're glad, anyway, here they are" Parvati.

Hermione and Ginny weren't wearing any makeup but it didn't seem to matter. Hermione's dress was a simple modification of the one she'd warn at the Yule Ball but also seemed as if Padma had picked it right out of a half a million different styles.

The upper body was tighter around Hermione's belly and the two cups pushed her breasts up and together, but they were skilfully hidden beneath a lace that covered all her exposed skin, including her arms. The actually dress section then also billowed out a little, a delicate Celtic design travelling down the body of the dress and to the bottom. This time the colour was dark purple, the Celtic design in red.

Ginny on the other hand looked like she belonged in a fifties film noir: the top of the dress started above her breasts, swooping down the back in an oval shape so it came together at the back in the middle of the spine. It then clung to her like a second skin and went all the way down to her shins. Black lace up heels and gloves that went up to her bicep completed the look. The dress itself was a shade of black so smooth the eye seemed to glide off it. Ginny also wore a dark green corset on the outside that had blood red lace; the corset had been modified to be inline with the rest of the dress.

"Good lord, are you two going into business?" Harry asked a genuinely surprised look on his face.

"Told you two that you'd stun everyone" Padma smirked while Parvati stuck her tongue out at Ginny and Hermione.

"Thank you Harry, the compliment is appreciated" Hermione said, ignoring the two dress makers.

Harry excused himself from the common room and went downstairs to the great hall: he wanted to read the Daily Prophet, see what was going on in the wizard world. He'd stopped reading the Prophet for a while; but being a Sunday he figured he may as well see what the Qudditch rankings were.

"The Department of Truth, what rot" he muttered and picked up the paper and sat down.

Harry chose the wrong time to drink some pumpkin juice: as soon as he read the front page he spat it all out across the room. The headline read something about a spate of overnight arrests in Britain of people suspected of seditious actions. But the names among them made no sense. One pair of accused traitors were the Patil twins parents, another was Neville's grandmother. A smaller separate article noted the Ministry seizing the Quibbler from Mr. Lovegood.

"This is insane" Harry muttered and burst into a run back towards Gryffindor.

Another side affect of Sunday was that no one ever went down to breakfast on time, and with the Patil sisters working hard on Hermione and Ginny's dresses, they wouldn't have seen this. Harry arrived at Gryffindor common room, rather breathless.

"Harry what is going on?" Ron asked, looking up from the Wizard's Chess game he was having with Dean; Luna watching with her wide eyes.

"Neville, Luna, Padma and Parvati you need to read this" Harry handed the paper to Luna as the others he mentioned approached. Harry stood from their way and let them absorb what were very real tragedies for all mentioned.

Luna, looking highly vacant but also aimless gravitated towards Ron and just collapsed and wept on him, tears staining his jumper. Padma and Parvati took to a small corner and began talking in a language Harry didn't understand. Neville's reaction was the most extreme, scrunching the paper up and throwing into the fire, a string of curses following it.

"Harry what was in that newspaper?" Hermione asked in hushed tones.

"Neville's grandmother and Mr. and Mrs. Patil have been arrested on charges of sedition. And last night also the Ministry seized the Quibbler from Mr. Lovegood, no doubt placing him under arrest too" Harry explained so only Ginny and Hermione heard.

"You can't be serious. None of those people would dare do such a thing, and surely they need evidence for such strong charges" Ginny was infuriated.

"Not according to new decrees passed by the Peace Office and Department of Truth early last night" Hermione said, her nose buried in a piece of parchment.

"What do you mean?" Padma stood up; being in Ravenclaw she had a great affinity for subjects like laws.

"These new decrees allow Aurors to 'arrest and interrogate person or persons involved in acts of sedition, Dark Art rituals or support of Anti-Ministry person or persons'. Anti-Ministry, that means Dumbledore and those that support him" Hermione explained.

Padma swore loudly in her native tongue. Neville was looking positively murderous and Luna had stopped crying, but was still curled up on Ron's lap. Gently hefting her, Ron took her up to his bed, asking Ginny to put a few of her family privacy charms on his bed so Luna could rest a little.

"This is madness Hermione, I feel something is going to come to a head and we need to prepare for it" Harry admitted.

Before Hermione could respond; the portrait door swung open and revealed two large men and one woman in wizards robes, they entered as Ginny and Ron reappeared. Each bore a symbol on their robes of the number '451'.

"Padma and Parvati Patil, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. You are required to accompany us to the Ministry of Magic. As your legal guardians have become enemies of the Ministry you are to be placed with an approved caretaker" the woman read names off a list.

"They aren't going anywhere" Harry yelled, getting in front of the group.

Ginny and Dean followed suit, Ron too, looked murderous now. Neville now stood tall and proud for the first time in a long time and Seamus took up a position beside him. It was no secret that Dean and Seamus had a soft spot for the Patil twins, although each for a different one and felt much like Ron did.

"This is official Ministry business, young man. Goodspeed, search the dorms here for the Lovegood girl" the woman said. As soon as the man moved, Ron was in his way.

"You go near her and I'll drop you where you stand" Harry could feel a cold heat emanating from Ron's body.

"You are making a very bad choice my boy" Goodspeed said as he reached for his wand.

"That will do you three" a new voice entered the fray.

Albus Dumbledore stood in the archway in as if nothing were amiss. He cast a mournful look at the stricken Patil twins. Although he never seemed to lose his casual manner, Harry could tell he was ready for whatever would happen.

"Professor Dumbledore, I appreciate that your students are only being protective of their friends. However this is official business" again the woman addressed them.

"And you're name young lady, is?" Dumbledore asked, leaning forward.

"Jane, Jane McLenan. Apprehension officer of the Peace Office. And there two gentlemen are Enforcers Goodspeed and Lensman of the Department of Truth" she said.

"I see, you are aware I'm sure of the law that states a student may not be removed from Hogwarts unless asked for by a parent, the student's own well being or expulsion. Since I have levelled no such penalties on any of the students you mention, you cannot take them" Dumbledore made his case clear.

"But their family members are involved in criminal activities" Lensman finally spoke up.

"_Alleged _criminal activities, thank you young man. As I say, if the Wizengamot agrees that the evidence your departments provide is adequate then I believe justice will be served" Dumbledore chose the wording of that statement very carefully.

"I see, well, we shall return with an exception order and we will remove them from Hogwarts until such time as they can be placed with caretakers" Jane stiffened and turned on her heel.

Goodspeed (who'd still been locking eyes and horns with Ron) carefully stepped away, keeping one eye on the boy in case. The tension in the room could be carved up and used to feed the hungry in all of London it was so thick. Eventually the two Enforcers left, following their senior office. Once they were gone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"They can't stay here, Professor, they'll just come back and take them with authority this time" Hermione said.

"I agree, and I don't wish to dwell on what sorts of information gathering techniques they will use" Dumbledore looked a little lost for the first time since Harry had known him.

"Well where can we hide?" Parvati asked now that she was roused back into speech at last.

Dumbledore looked at the two girls and Neville, and thought of Luna upstairs. There would be one possible way to keep them safe and allow them to continue studying a little. It would be however a huge gamble and Dumbledore didn't want to do it unless he was sure there was no other way.

"I shall confer with Professor McGonagall, I ask that you stay here until I return" Dumbledore left with a torn look on his face.

The old professor strode to his office in a great haste. Hermione had been right: it wasn't safe for the students of the people arrested in last night's raids here at Hogwarts now. Silently Dumbledore blamed himself for failing to keep the school the safe haven it was meant to be.

"Oh, Sub Zero. Hanzo, I didn't expect to see you both here" Dumbledore stood fast as he saw the two warriors.

"Dumbledore, a serious problem has arisen we've heard" Sub Zero said.

"Yes, the parents of some students were recently arrested on charges that are dubious at best. I am trying to solve it as we speak" Dumbledore didn't notice the worried look on Sub Zero's face.

"Yes, well that is certainly a problem but I believe a bigger one has arisen" Sub Zero said urgently.

Hanzo handed Dumbledore a copy of the Daily Prophet. Confused, the headmaster took it and began scanning the pages until he saw a large picture of Scrimgeour, Umbridge and two other men. One wore vibrant red robes and knee high gold and black boots and had a very dangerously handsome look. The other wore a deep violent coloured robe with a black over throw and large shoulder mounts. He was also bald with very pale skin and two tattoo lines going from atop his eyes over his head.

"Who are they?" Dumbledore asked.

"Most of the Wizard World will know them now as the Top Enforcers in the Department of Truth…" Sub Zero trailed off, letting Hanzo speak.

"We know them as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, two very dark sorcerers with connections to Shinnok, the fallen Elder God of Shadows" Hanzo finished.


	6. Chapter 6

Dumbledore entered his office, closely followed by Hanzo and Sub Zero. Professor McGonagall was waiting with Moody in the office. They exchanged glances and sat down on chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"As I am sure you all know, we are now in a very difficult position. The Patil twin, Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Lovegood are close to being taken by the Ministry as wards of the state" Dumbledore explained for Mad Eye's benefit.

"Things are slowly spiralling out of control Albus. Eventually the lines are going to have to be drawn" McGonagall looked worn out.

"Indeed, but first we must deal with the previously mentioned students' safety. I am willing to bring them into the fold of the Order of the Phoenix, for their own safety, but therein lays my dilemma" Dumbledore looked downcast.

"What dilemma; if they are in danger then they need to be put somewhere safe" Hanzo's simplistic view was refreshing.

"Not that easy, this is also becoming a war of politics. I need to tread carefully until Voldermort himself comes into the open" the old Wizard sighed.

"What about a third party, who has nothing to do with Hogwarts or the Wizard world?" Sub Zero asked.

"Like who?" Moody growled.

"Me and the Lin Kuei warriors. There are over five thousand of us; many are still in the ancient headquarters. We could hide them" Sub Zero offered.

"You are willing to do that?" McGonagall asked.

"Well not normally, no. However it looks like we're in the same boat as you" Sub Zero then proceeded to explain why.

"So, these two sorcerers follow the Dark Arts?" Mad Eye asked.

"Not as you know them. Quan Chi comes from a place called Outworld and Shang Tsung was exiled there; and each is very old and have great knowledge of dark and powerful magic" Hanzo said.

"What powers?" McGonagall asked, looking tight lipped.

"Quan Chi is a necromancer, capable of reanimating the dead into deadly warriors. Shang Tsung on the other hand is capable of taking souls from fallen warriors, absorbing their powers and life force" Sub Zero gave a more comprehensive explanation

"Why would the Ministry involve themselves with such evil men?" McGonagall asked, incensed at the actions of the Ministry.

"Desperation for control. Scrimgeour wants to prove that unlike Fudge he can control what is happening and defeat Voldermort, although so far it's been a smoke and mirrors approach" Mad Eye muttered.

A knock on the door caused the adults look up. Dumbledore stood up and allowed the door to open. Padma, Parvati, Neville and Luna walked in, followed by Dean, Seamus and Ron. Parvati, took a deep breath and stepped forward from the group.

"Professor, please, our parents are innocent. And so are we, we don't want to go with the Ministry. Please, help us" she implored.

"Ms. Patil, take heart, I know your family members are all innocent, and that none of you are involved in any way with the Dark Arts. Now, as for going with the Ministry; well I have two options open to you" Dumbledore held a hand up to quell the others from speaking.

"You may join Harry and his friends as members of the Order of the Phoenix, whose members included Harry and Neville's parents among others, which I founded to fight Voldermort" Dumbledore laid that option down.

"Or…" Padma asked.

"You can come with me; I will take you to the headquarters of the Lin Kuei. If you wish, my second in command will train you all personally and I'm sure we can find a wizard in Tibet to teach you magical defences" Sub Zero presented his offer.

"Would we be able to come back and help you fight?" Neville asked.

"Of course, in time" Dumbledore nodded.

"Can we talk about it?" Luna spoke for the first time since being told of her father's arrest.

"Of course, we shall wait outside for you" Dumbledore beckoned the other teachers outside so that the discussion could be private.

Ron, Dean and Seamus asked if they wanted them to leave also. The girls and Neville nodded; so the three young men left with the adults and waited. There was an oppressive silence outside the office as they awaited the decisions of the students in the office. Ron looked the most worried of all; if they accepted Sub Zero's offer, he'd not see Luna again for a very long time.

Then the door opened and they all trailed out, again, Parvati speaking for the group. They had all decided to take Sub Zero's offer. Ron bit his lip but if that was what Luna wanted to do, and if it would keep her safe then he was all for it. Dean and Seamus exchanged a look.

"Okay, pack only essential items, personal care and stuff like that" Sub Zero advised.

"Mad Eye, I need some fake identity papers for all of them and myself. No doubt the ministry is watching all magical transportation, so we'll be flying on a plane" Sub Zero explained.

"I can have them ready in an hour; all I need is a template. Got one?" Mad Eye asked.

Sub Zero handed Mad Eye a passport he used to travel to England. Dean and Seamus said a chaste goodbye to their respective crushes. Luna on the other hand gave Ron a kiss so powerful that he was breathing heavily when she finished and went with Mad Eye to assist in making the fake identity papers.

"Okay, you three return to Gryffindor common room" McGonagall ushered them back to the common room.

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Ron looked sullen as he re-entered the common room and just wanted to be alone for a few minutes. Dean and Seamus explained what had happened. Then they looked at Harry and asked him what the Order of the Phoenix was. Sighing, Harry and Hermione gave the two young men a full explanation: they figured Dumbledore wouldn't have mentioned it in front of them if he didn't trust them. By the end they wanted to sign up as well.

"And, who was the tall guy they're going with; he had the strange buddy in the black cloak?" Seamus asked.

"Don't worry, he's a good man. It was him that taught me what I did to Draco in the first Dark Arts class and for punishing Larry Lucktar" Harry said with a chuckle.

"He can really freeze things, permanently if he wants?" Dean's jaw was loose.

"Yeah, he can. And I'm sure you've noticed, he's creatively sadistic" Hermione recalled, grinning widely.

"So, shall we all go t Hogesmeade, I mean, we may as well?" Ginny asked, noticing the sombre mood taking root in the room.

"Yeah, I'm up for it. Anyone else?" Dean asked, looking around.

Harry and Hermione gave an affirmative nod; Seamus looked better for the suggestion and went to grab his scarf while Hermione and Ginny went to get changed. As they climbed the stairs, Harry went over and knelt next to Ron.

"You up for a butterbeer or two mate?" he asked.

"Nah, I just…"Ron took a breath and looked thoughtful, organising his next set of words.

"I feel as if I failed Luna in some way Harry. I should have been able to protect her, she shouldn't have had to leave the country to be safe; I feel like a coward" Ron explained, tears rolling down his face.

"Bollocks you were a coward, Ron. You stood toe to toe and were ready to fight with an Auror, I saw the look in your eyes mate. You would have taken him out if he moved an inch in the wrong direction" Harry stood up now, looking down at Ron.

"Maybe…I dunno, but I'll pass on the Hogsmeade trip Harry, I feel I'd make you all feel bad" Ron looked a little better from the compliment.

"Okay mate, you just sit and think. If you feel up to it, we'll probably be in the Three Broomsticks" Harry patted Ron's shoulder supportively before leaving with the others.

The trip through Hogwarts was an interesting trek on its own. By now the news of the arrests had spread through the school and since it was common knowledge that the group walking had reasonably close ties to all the children of the arrested people they were bombarded with glances and outright stares. Although some of the stares were at Hermione and Ginny, their hands intertwined.

'Wankers' Ginny thought as they exited the doors

Once in Hogsmeade itself, the atmosphere became very relaxed and some of the sadness melted away. They entered the Three Broomsticks and ordered butterbeer all around. Choosing a table, Harry also purchased some savoury snacks for the table.

They soon began drinking and telling stories, mainly of Seamus and his attempts at wooing Padma, especially after the incident at the Yule Ball. Although other ones were about Parvati's bizarre love of Divination and its eccentric teacher, Sybill Trelawny. Talk was however interrupted by the sudden appearance of Dobby the house elf.

"Dobby, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Forgive Dobby mistress, but he was asked by Dumbledore to deliver this letter to Harry Potter" Dobby presented Harry with an official looking letter from Gringotts.

"I wonder what this is all about" Harry wondered as he opened the letter.

A small ring fell out; nothing special, just a black stone ring. Shrugging, Harry read the letter. It had something to do with his vaults, or more accurately something in them and the matter needed quick resolution. The ring turned out to be a portkey.

"Well, looks like I'm off to Gringotts" Harry said and casually grabbed the ring

With a pop, he was gone.

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Harry stumbled as the portkey dropped him in Diagon Alley. Muttering to himself he approached Gringotts, Lupin was waiting for him. Smiling he gave Harry a hug and asked him how he was doing.

"Aside from the usual, I'm okay. Tonks isn't with you is she?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Afraid not, she's travelling with Sub Zero, to help break the ice so to speak" Lupin sniggered at Harry's forlorn look.

"Well, what is so important that you dragged me here on a Sunday, Lupin?" Harry asked.

"Follow me" Lupin walked inside, Harry close behind.

Once inside, a goblin that Harry recognised as Griphook greeted them. Lupin explained why they were there and asked to be taken to the Potter Family Vault. Griphook nodded and lead them to the cart system. Harry braced himself, remembering that the cart rides were easily able to pummel a man's stomach.

Once at the vault, Griphook told Lupin he was permitted only to continue with Harry's consent. Harry gave it.

"Very well, from this point on I am unable to follow" Griphook stood aside.

"Okay, here it goes" Harry cleared his throat.

"I am Harry James Potter. Heir the Potter estate" he stated loudly.

The vault's large doors opened with a thud. With trepidation, Harry and Lupin stepped over the threshold. As Harry remembered, the vault was full of gold, even more since a large amount of Sirius's estate had been transferred at the behest of his last will and testament. Though beyond the piles of gold lay a smaller chamber: above its door sat a sign 'Antiquities of the Potter Family'.

"Hey, wait a second" Harry grabbed his letter and reread part of it.

"The vault of family history, it must mean that thing" Harry shrugged and went up to the door.

The door was a large marble tablet with a single hold in its centre. The name Potter was engraved in cursive script on the top part of the door. As though he knew what to do, Harry placed his arm in the hole. For a few seconds, nothing happened: then a loud clicking noise echoed in the vault.

"Take your arm out" Lupin instructed.

"Okay" Harry obligingly removed his arm.

As he did so, the door creaked open to reveal what looked like a collection of artefacts from periods in Britain's history. Old books, pictures and even patent slips in glass frames adorned the walks and shelves. The most impressive item was the room's most central one: a sword.

"Lupin, what is this thing?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, bring it out here" Lupin replied a small smile on his face.

"Lazy sod" Harry grumbled and took hold of the hilt of the sword and withdrew it from its stand.

"Congratulations Harry, you've just proved you're a true Potter" Lupin was now grinning from ear to ear.

"And I did this how exactly?" Harry asked.

"That is no ordinary sword on your hand" Lupin was being torturously vague.

"Well what is it then?" Harry was getting frustrated.

"Excalibur. The sword of Kings and imbued with the magic of Merlin himself" Lupin let the bomb drop.

"Come again?" Harry asked, faltering on his feet.

"The sword you hold in your hand is Excalibur. Cutting through the romance of legends and such, the only concrete details we know for sure was that Arthur himself was a Muggle, but a just man. When the Saxons came to invade Britain, Arthur and his knights, really Sarmation cavalry, tried to fight them off but had a hard time doing it and broke is old sword" Lupin sat down on the steps leading up to the small vault, Harry sat beside him.

"So, what happened?" Harry asked.

Lupin began to retell the tale: Arthur did not know wizards, but Merlin knew he needed help to defeat the Saxons. So he approached Arthur and revealed himself as a blacksmith and offered to make Arthur the finest sword in the land. Arthur gratefully accepted the offer and Merlin constructed Excalibur using the strongest materials available, and imbued with ancient magic now lost to us. Then he asked a powerful witch whose name is not known to imbue some of her own power into it.

"But she was not sure if Arthur was worthy enough as he had not met him. So Merlin asked Arthur to a lake, near which the witch resided and Merlin asked Arthur a series of probing moral questions. Arthur answered truthfully and the witch was impressed, so she gave him the sword" Lupin looked at the sword itself as he finished.

"If I remember the legend correctly though, Arthur returned the sword to the Lady of the Lake, so how did it end up here?" Harry asked.

"No idea, but when James found out what it was, he went mental and had it put in here. He found it in a pile of junk in his attic" Lupin chuckled.

"He should have kept it, if he had, he may have been able to defeat Voldermort with it" Harry said bitterly.

"Or, if he hadn't, then Voldermort would be in control of a powerful weapon and he may have used it to kill you and since a sword is far less discriminatory than magic, we may not be here having this conversation" Lupin said, standing as he spoke.

"Come on, we need to get this to Hogwarts for Dumbledore to have a look at" Lupin beckoned Harry towards the door.

Harry stood up and placed Excalibur in a sheath he'd found beside it, and grabbed a few Galleons as he exited. Griphook was still waiting outside. When he saw the withdrawn item was a weapon he asked that it be placed in a box, allowing for the minimal fuss when he was in the street. Harry agreed and Griphook provided a large wooden box. Harry tried to shrink the item, but only the box shrank and was shattered by the sword.

"As I said, powerful magic now lost" Lupin said as Griphook replaced the box, although this time Harry did not bother to shrink it.

Once outside the bank, Lupin created a new portkey with a piece of the old box for Harry to return to Hogsmeade. After saying to Lupin, Harry gripped the portkey and soon felt that all to familiar tug at the naval before disappearing.

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-----------Heathrow Airport-----------------

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Sub Zero wondered if perhaps he was mad. Being in Heathrow was a most boring experience: he was fortunate that the clan owned a private jet under the name of a phoney Chinese corporation. It wouldn't have been so bad if he only had the Patil twins; their father often went on trips so they were used to seeing the technology in an airport. However, Neville and Luna were not.

"Ray, what does this do?" Neville pointed to the walk through metal detector.

"It picks up anything made of metal on the body, weapons or explosive devices. They are illegal on planes" Padma and Parvati had been Sub Zero's angels, helping him when he seemed frustrated.

"Oh, wow" Neville was endlessly fascinated by the computers that littered the waiting area.

'This is torture' Sub Zero thought, rubbing his throbbing temple.

"Call for private flight SZ1 to Tibet leaving at Gate 112" a stale voice announced.

"That's us, thank god. Come on, grab your luggage and lets go" Sub Zero leapt to his feet.

The four adolescents grabbed their hand luggage and walked towards their gate. As it was a private flight there was no line but they still had to pass through some security measures such as another metal detector. Fortunately, one the spells Moody had put on them would hide anything that would cause the devices to go off. Tonks had been staring into space and had to be roused by Luna.

"Oh, sorry" she whispered and hurried towards the gate, only to trip over some loose carpet.

"Come on Tonks, stop tripping over things would you" Sub Zero groaned.

"Well I'm sorry, Ray, I can't help it" she muttered through grit teeth.

"Perhaps you have a Dibble Dobber in the carpet" Luna said as an attendant looked over it.

"A what?" the woman asked.

"Luna. Stop bothering the lady at lets go" Sub Zero was scanning the crowd for anyone who looked like an Auror or an Enforcer.

Remembering what Neville mentioned about the badges, he concentrated on looking for one of them. Just as he was about to sigh in relief and walk through himself, Sub Zero caught a glint of a badge in the crowd. He hurried them onto the plane.

"What's the hurry?" Neville asked.

"I think there is an Enforcer in the crowd" Sub Zero whispered.

"I can take care of him, you lot just get on the plane" Tonks whispered, drawing her wand.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Easy stuff" Tonks smirked.

Sub Zero nodded and walked down the tunnel but kept a very sharp ear out in case Tonks needed his help, now wishing he'd arranged for a few of his London based men to wait in the airport.

"Madam, why aren't you boarding the plane?" the attendant asked.

"My name is Commander Tonks, MI6, my associate and I are escorting these children to Tibet, there is a man in the crowd who is trying to stop us" Tonks flashed a badge that showed her as an agent of MI6.

Tonks had changed her appearance to that of a sharp featured woman of early forties in age with silver hair. Tonks readied her wand, which was charmed to be seen by Muggles as a Stun Gun. Tonks zeroed in on the Enforcer, who had his wand drawn.

"Cease and desist" Tonks yelled levelling her wand.

"Stupefy!" The Enforcer threw the spell at Tonks.

"Amateur" Tonks grinned and rolled; firing a stunning spell.

The Enforcer ducked the spell also and caused panic. People started screaming and hugging the floor. Tonks took cover behind a wall, the Airport security now drawing guns and commanding the Enforcer to stand down. The Enforcer simply stunned them, deflecting bullets with a shield spell.

"Place your weapon on the ground" Tonks had memorised a few Muggle security phrases.

"They have to come with me" the Enforcer replied.

Tonks stood up and managed to hit the Enforcer with a Jelly Legs jinx. Smiling to herself she approached him and withdrew a pair of handcuffs and was about to make a show of arresting him.

"CRUCIO" The Enforcer hit Tonks with the Unforgivable curse of pain.

The pain hit Tonks like a fully laden freight train and dropped her like a stone. Casting the counter jinx on his legs that allowed him to stand again, the Enforcer walked over to Tonks, who was recovering from the pain.

"As you may have noticed, I am exempt from the Laws of Unforgivables. Crucio" he added another spell just for effect.

A sudden impact in the Enforcer's ribs caused him to fly to the side. Hanzo had evidently followed them to the airport. For the first time since meeting him again, Hanzo removed his cloak and covered Tonks with it.

He was wearing an outfit much like the one in Harry's dream. A black jumpsuit made of Kevlar and a polymer armoured vest and yellow loin cloth. A pair of large gauntlets on his hands.

"Crucio" The Enforcer hit Hanzo with the pain curse.

Hanzo barely flinched from the pain curse. Having spent much time in the Netherealm, pain was something he was very used to. The Enforcer then cast the Killing Curse. Tonks remembered Hanzo saying he'd been hit with it in Harry's dream, and like the dream, the curse did not affect him.

"You cannot kill the dead" Hanzo said as a kunai slipped into his hand.

The Enforcer did know what to do, this thing, whatever it was had immunity to the killing curse. In the end he decided that discretion was the better part of valour and began running away. Hanzo watching him and drew back the arm holding the knife. Then he screamed.

"GET OVER HERE!" and threw the knife violently.

Like a bullet from a gun, the knife flew towards its target: the Enforcer. No matter how far ahead he was, the knife caught up and embedded itself in his shoulder. The Enforcer screamed in agony as the sharp blade sliced him, causing him to drop his wand. Hanzo gave a violent tug on the rope that connected the knife to his suit. As if by supernatural means, this tug was enough to bring the knife back at high speed, with the Enforcer still on the other end.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

Hanzo grabbed the kunai handle and hefted the man into the air, causing him extreme pain. The Enforcer looked into Hanzo's soulless eyes and began quivering in fright, even soiling himself.

"I am Hanzo Hasashi, but you and all others will call me…" he paused and grabbed his mask.

"Scorpion" he finished and hefted his mask off; making the Enforcer nearly faint.

A skull engulfed in flames with blood red orbs for eyes stared back at him: its grin demonic and almost crazed. Scorpion opened his mouth and drew in oxygen, the Enforcer thought he was going to spit on him. He was partially right. Scorpion heaved forward engulfing the hapless man in flame, dropping him on the ground.

"Fatality" Scorpion muttered, replacing his mask.

Tonks watched Scorpion out of her blurry eyes. She couldn't quite reconcile this, sadistic murdering persona with the fun loving man she knew many years ago. She knew that he was a hired killer but, she was unsure what had he become.

"We should get out of here. No doubt the authorities will arrive soon, as well as some of your Aurors" Scorpion picked up Tonks.

"What happened to you?" she asked, having never gotten an answer the first time.

"That is a tale for later, now you need rest and attention" Scorpion admonished softly

Scorpion concentrated and was able to teleport them both back to Hogwarts; his demonic powers subverting the Anti-Apparating wards.

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He materialised in the Great Hall, in the middle of dinner. Harry, seeing his girlfriend unconscious in her godfather's arms, bolted like a mad man towards her and Scorpion.

"Hanzo, what happened?" Harry asked, remembering how to check for a pulse.

"An Enforcer attempted to intercept Sub Zero and the others, he and the young ones left, Tonks stayed behind to battle him" Scorpion gently lay Tonks down, and awaited a healer.

"You followed them?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Sub Zero is an excellent warrior and assassin; however he is somewhat inept at smuggling anything he cannot hide on his person or in ice" Scorpion admitted.

"What about the Enforcer, surely he'll report what he saw" Harry said.

"I assure you, that particular course of events will not occur" Scorpion dismissed the Harry's worry.

The Hall was abuzz with talk, but some one noticed the house Ghosts, including the Bloody Baron, floating away in fear. The student in question was Draco Malfoy and he soon saw where the stares were directed: the man in the middle of the hall.

"What the hell are you four so scared of?" he demanded.

"It is he, the demon of the Netherealm, warrior of the living dead…" the Fat Friar got all dramatic.

"It is Scorpion, ruler of the Netherealm" Nearly Headless Nick gasped.

'I best take my leave' Scorpion though and again teleported himself.

"Thanks, Scorpion" Harry muttered as he knelt beside Tonks, listening for her breathing.

Madam Pomfrey bustled into the Hall with some supplies and began checking Tonks over. She gasped and whispered to Harry that Tonks had been subjected to the Cruciatus curse twice. Harry's features tensed when he heard that; he knew the pain of that curse very well.

"Come, Professors could I ask you assistance in moving Auror Tonks to the infirmary please?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Of course, Poppy" McGonagall transfigured a bench into a stretcher for Tonks and Flitwick and Hagrid gently lifted her onto it.

"Locomotor" Madam Pomfrey performed the rather handy spell on the stretcher.

Harry went to go with them as McGonagall and Hagrid accompanied Madam Pomfrey and Tonks' floating form. Dumbledore quickly grabbed Harry's shoulder and shot him a warning look. Dumbledore knew most students would base Harry's earlier actions on his helpful and brave nature, but to follow would indicate more than he should. Snape slid up beside them.

"Not much of an Auror is she?" he muttered.

"Now, Severus there is no-" Dumbledore was cut by an angry voice.

"Shut up Snape" Harry growled

"I'm warning you, Potter, and it's Professor Snape to you" Snape glared at Harry with pursed lips.

"And I'm warning you: if you ever, ever, insult Tonks again _Snape_, mark my words, you will not know what hit you" Harry snarled at the Defence Teacher, his fists balled.

"Ah, hit a nerve have I, Potter?" Snape asked, smirking smugly.

Harry looked about three seconds from attacking Snape with his bare hands. Fortunately Dumbledore stepped between them both with a stern look upon his face.

"Harry. Go up to your dorm and rest, today has been taxing, to say the least" Dumbledore stressed his displeasure at them both.

Harry huffed away, still glaring as he stormed upstairs. Snape and Malfoy watched him curiously while Dumbledore was a bit sad. Harry had stabilised somewhat in the recent month, thanks in no small part to his blossoming relationship with Tonks. However now she was hurt and Harry was in possession of a very powerful weapon.

"Severus, I must ask that you stop antagonising Harry, it is not a productive course of action" Dumbledore requested.

"Hmm" Snape did not reply and merely walked away, Draco following closely behind.


	7. Chapter 7

-----------A/N: Thanks to my friend AbeoUmbra for her help on this chapter---------

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---------Tibet--------

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Sub Zero revelled in cold weather; it was literally his element; the snowy peaks of Tibet his favourite place in the world. However, his four companions were less sympathetic to the whether and as a result were wrapped in warm clothes that caused them to go slower.

"Come on, we cannot stop until we reach the temple, as soon as we are there, you can rest and eat" he assured them

"How do you stand this weather?" Padma asked, her teeth chattering.

"Being a cryomancer is of great assistance in that matter. Come, it is over this ridge" he called out, spurring them onwards.

The teenagers all put in a valiant effort and ran over the ridge to see a rather amazing sight: the Temple of the Lin Kuei. Like Hogwarts it exuded an aura of mystery and magic, although it seemed sinister where Hogwarts was benevolent. Still, this was their safe haven for a while.

They approached the doors of the temple and Sub Zero flung them open in a very grand gesture. They all hurried inside ahead of him, desperate for warmth. The doors closed with a bang and the room began to warm up again.

"Frost!" Sub Zero yelled.

A steady noise began echoing in the temple: footsteps. Soon a young woman that looked a bit like Sub Zero appeared. Her hair was blue and white and stuck up in such a fashion that it looked like a blue flame. Her build was slender but powerful, but her body language was cocky.

"Grandmaster" she greeted with a bow.

"Frost, these four young people will be staying here with us for a while. They are in danger and I want you to teach them" Sub Zero explained.

"You're kidding. You're not kidding" Frost mumbled, looking at the firm look in her Sifu's eyes.

"Well, what for?" she asked.

"Because their government is out to get them in one way or another and a good friend of mine asked me to protect them. War is coming Frost, we will be involved" Sub Zero's voice dropped to freezing.

"Okay grumpy bones, don't get your loin clothe in a twist" she said and brushed past him.

'If I kill her, there won't be anyone to teach them' he thought.

"Welcome kiddy winks, I'm Frost and I'll be the person putting you through several kinds of hell for the next few weeks. We're up at six and asleep by eight, food will good, but other than that, you're time is your own" none of the teenagers trusted the somewhat deranged glint on Frost's eyes.

'Oh my god I'm to die' Neville thought as Frost beckoned for them to follow.

"I've changed my mind Frost; I won't be staying here for a week. I'm going back to England to help, and I don't know how Tonks fared against that Enforcer" Sub Zero said and made for the door.

"Okay, have fun" Frost called.

As soon as the doors shut, Frost rounded on her new students and grinned. They all gulped. Instead of doing something mad, she just made them hurry up and took them to a large hall, much like the hall in Hogwarts; only it was filled with adults rather than children.

"Stay here. I'll get some food" Frost muttered and walked towards the central table and grabbed two huge platters. Filling each one individually with bowls of rice, meats and vegetables and some chop sticks she returned to the door.

"Come on, there are some separate quarters by Sifu's room that you can use. Can I trust you young man not to be a pervert and sleep on one side of the room or do I have to give you my speech on mutual respect" Frost shot a deadly look at Neville.

"No, I'll be good" Neville replied with a gulp.

"Good boy" Frost grinned again.

The room they were shown to was large and oddly soothing. It had a large fireplace and thick rugs made of animal skin on the floors. A wooden trestle table with bench seats sat by the fire, which had a large pot over it.

"Sit by the fire while I put this on the table" Frost's tone was gentler now that they were alone.

Padma and Parvati sat huddling together while Luna and Neville sat side by side and looked miserable. Frost set the food down and retrieved five cups and a tea strainer and tea leaves from a shelf. A large teapot sat on the stones by the hearth. Gently tipping the pot forward, Frost filled the teapot.

"Okay, food and drinks are up" she said.

"Great" Neville said.

Although different from the more English meals from Hogwarts, the food was very nice, although the vegetables were a bit spicy. As they ate, Frost poured them some cups of Green Tea.

"It's truly bitter stuff, but good for the body. Warm ya up too" she said, drinking her own cup.

"Now, who would like to tell me exactly why you are here?" Frost asked.

The group quietly spoke amongst themselves for a few minutes, Frost waiting patiently and drinking her tea. Soon enough a decision was reached and this time, Neville imparted the story.

"Our parents were all arrested last night under some new laws in England that claimed they were traitors or anti government" Neville explained.

"What on earth for; being against the government of the day doesn't mean you're a traitor" Frost looked somewhat bemused.

"A dark wizard has returned. Lord V-Voldermort. He killed Harry's parents, and one of his followers tortured my parents until their sanity broke. Anyway, the Ministry has gone made and instituted some laws and are arresting people now for no good reason" Neville continued.

"Now I understood everything in there except Wizard. I know that a few of the Warriors from Outworld and Edina are capable of magic, but…" Frost looked sceptical.

"Accio, scarf" Luna used her wand to summon the small scarf around Frost's thigh.

"No way" she exclaimed, an amazed look on her face.

"There is a largely unknown society of wizards all over the world. And we are exactly that" Padma explained.

"Okay, cool" Frost suddenly took on a like much like that of a child at Christmas.

For the next hour, the teens amused Frost by performing various magical spells. In a way it helped them take their minds of things. Soon though it was time for bed and Frost provided some mattresses and blankets for them. Padma further impressed them by transfiguring the mattresses into four poster beds like the ones in Hogwarts.

"Okay, you are so coming to my quarters tomorrow" Frost said and bid them goodnight.

"Luna, are you okay?" Padma asked, turning over to face the blonde.

"No, my father is all I have left Padma, I don't want to lose him" Luna curled up tightly.

"He'll be fine; Professor Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix will save him" Neville proclaimed.

"I hope so" Luna replied softly, closing her eyes.

'Me too Luna, me too' Padma thought as she closed her eyes.

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---------Hogwarts------------

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Tonks woke up, her head buzzing like she'd been drinking. Tonks knew she hadn't been drinking because the last thing she remembered was seeing Hanzo take his face off and breathe fire onto someone. Blinking Tonks tried to get up: her body immediately overrode her.

"Okay, getting up hurts. Never a good sign" she muttered.

"I see your sense of humour is intact" a calm voice said.

Tonks looked to the left: Sub Zero and Hanzo were sitting on chairs. She blinked: Sub Zero was here? Tonks thought she'd left him at Heathrow to accompany the kids to the Lin Kuei temple.

"I thought you were in Tibet?" Tonks croaked.

"I decided to leave them in the capable hands of Frost, although I imagine poor Neville is feeling left out. I am also mildly afraid she'll seduce him and then inject her young into his lifeless husk" Sub Zero joked.

"Ha ha" Tonks muttered, rubbing her head.

"You should have been more careful, Tonks" Hanzo reprimanded.

"You are a sanctimonious sod aren't you" Tonks grumbled.

"Only when I'm right" Hanzo replied and stood up to leave.

"I believe Harry will want to know you have finally woken up" he added and walked out.

"How long was I out for?" she asked, watching Hanzo walk away.

"About a week I think, poor young man was rather beside himself this week I hear. Grumpy too" Sub Zero smirked at her as he too left the room.

"Where are you off to all smug and happy?" Tonks asked, squinting.

"I'm going to take Rolanda to dinner or something" he said with a shrug.

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Harry was in Charms class with Ron and Hermione; the whole school was still abuzz from seeing Scorpion simply appear in their school, even though it had Anti Apparate magic protecting it. Harry was still a bit moody about Tonks being hurt and Snape's attitude. Hermione on the other hand was being driven nuts by both of them.

"Oh honestly you two, stop being so sour" she groaned.

"I'm not sour" Harry and Ron replied at once.

"The defence rests" Hermione muttered and returned to her work.

Twenty minutes later, the Charms class ended and they filed out, end of classes until after lunch. As they made their way to the Great Hall, Harry noticed a poser on the school's noticeboard. Curious he approached and read it.

_Want to fight for Hogwarts?_

_For students 1st though 7th year, join Watchers and help the Ministry of Magic weed out the dangerous Dark Wizards and Witch's in your school! If interested the Three Broomsticks will be hosting a meeting Friday after classes and that Saturday._

_Help the Ministry of Magic fight You-Know-Who!_

_Delores Jane Umbridge,_

_Director of the Peace_

_Peace Office_

"Oh no. You have to be kidding me" Harry grabbed the poster off the wall.

The poster was still clean which meant it was still new, so hopefully not many people had seen it. Harry grimaced and scrunched the poster up and threw it into the nearest fireplace with an ugly look on his face. He couldn't understand it: only last year the Ministry wouldn't believe him, now that they did believe him, they were trying to recruit spies from within Hogwarts, it didn't make sense…

'…Or does it?' Harry quickly remembered a section of the text.

'That was what it said' Harry sat down and thought for a second but was able to come up with nothing to telling.

"Oh well, I suppose the irony of it will be that Slytherin students like Draco will join" Harry stood and walked to find his friends.

"Hermione, did you see the poster that was on the noticeboard back there?" he asked as he sat down.

"Hmmm?" Hermione wasn't listening, engrossed in a book.

"Ron what about you mate, you see it?" Harry turned to his friend.

"That the really cheesy one that was signed by Umbridge?" he asked.

"Yeah" Harry nodded.

"Yeah I saw it, not good I reckon" Ron said, gulping his mashed potatoes.

"Yeah, that old wench nearly ruined this place once with her schemes, now she's doing it again" Ginny hissed.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, finally looking up from her book.

"Umbridge has created a students' Anti Dark Wizards group called Watchers. Says it's to help 'weed out dangerous Dark Wizards and Witches' or some such nonsense" Harry quoted the poster.

"You're joking?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head and pointed to another one that was being passed around the Slytherin and…Ravenclaw tables. Hermione was furious that the intelligent Ravenclaws would want a bar of such tripe, but its presence at the Slytherin table confused her most until McGonagall appeared behind her and muttered.

"The best place to hide an apple tree is in an orchid" Hermione jumped at her Head of House's voice.

"Professor McGonagall, you startled me" Hermione said with a flush.

"Indeed. Ms. Granger, since the Patil twins' exodus, you and Ms. Weasley are the only ones I trust to take care of arranging the Masquerade Ball this coming Saturday night. Most of the preparations are already complete but some final details require a sharp eye and stylish hand" she said, looking between them both.

"Okay" Hermione said automatically.

"Oh nuts" Ginny muttered as McGonagall walked off.

"What, I thought you loved sewing and dress making and all that stuff?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, but that's for me, not handling decorations for a huge party like this" Ginny groaned, shooting a grouchy look at Hermione.

"Well we can go and talk to the committee this afternoon and see what needs doing, if it's as near completion as McGonagall says it is then we'll be fine" Hermione brushed Ginny's concern off.

"Teachers pet" Ginny muttered, earning a giggle from Ron.

Hermione pretended not to hear her and opened up another book. She was actually wondering how their friends were doing in hiding.

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---------Lin Kuei Temple--------

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Neville lay on the ground, barely moving. A few feet from him was Luna, nursing a broken arm. Padma was sitting on a bench cursing a blue streak in English and Hindu, Parvati was content just to sit and look cross. Frost and a couple of other Lin Kuei were standing over them, smiling.

"Come on, you've only done a couple of rounds each. On ya feet" Frost demanded.

"We aren't used to this kind of thing" Neville croaked out.

"That much is obvious cream puff. Luna, I'll have someone set that bone so it heals properly" one of the other Lin Kuei, a young sounding man spoke and went to summon their surgeon.

"Fair enough. Neville, you at the very least aren't injured so up ya get" Frost picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

"You are evil" Neville muttered, steadying himself on his feet.

"No, I'm just relentless in my efforts to bring out the warrior spirit I see in you" Frost replied.

"But why then are you being so tough on me?" he asked, getting frustrated.

"I never said I don't enjoy what I do" Frost reminded him.

"But, I'm not a fighter, more a hindrance really" Neville said, looking at his feet.

'That isn't what my information tells me' Frost thought and began going through Neville's file in her head.

After Sub Zero left, a large eagle had dropped a package off. Inside was the collected school and personal history of each of the four teenagers. Frost needed them because she needed to know if something scared them or bring about a high emotional response. For Neville, she believed his parents would be the catalyst.

"Strange really, the son of two powerful Wizard warriors is so weak he cannot even avenge them" Frost knew it was cruel to do it; but if it would spur him to fight and unlock his spirit, then she'd feel his rage.

"What did you say?" Neville's head shot straight up.

"You're not deaf. I know about your parents, warriors who held out until the end, their minds broken by a coward. I also know that you came in contact with the individual who did that to them" Frost could almost see the rage pouring out of him now.

"Shut up about them" Neville growled.

"Yes, you two engaged in battel last year, and you were defeated as if you were NOTHING. When the time comes for revenge you do not stop until they are dead or until you are dead" Frost saw the boy come to breaking point.

Suddenly Neville exploded and attacked Frost. Being small, Neville was able to move reasonably quickly, stunning everyone, even Frost. He threw a large haymaker punch at her face. Frost blocked it easily but Neville's follow up was actually very inventive. Instead of another haymaker, Neville threw a straight karate style punch right in her face. The sudden change threw Frost off guard so much that Neville actually managed to hit her.

CRACK. Frost wasn't sure which made the noise, her mask breaking or Neville's hand fracturing; all she cared about was that she'd brought his warrior spirit out. Now all she had to do was focus it instead of make him unleash it. Neville fell to his knees, crying, Frost smiled and removed her mask.

"Well done, Neville. Here, I imagine this one of many things we're going break in this training regime" Frost knelt down and handed her broken mask to Neville.

"What?" Neville looked up, a young man on the end of a long rope.

"You're not weak Neville; the only thing that's wrong with you is your narrow knowledge of combat. That is what I am going to change" Frost smiled and gave Neville a pat on the back.

"The same goes for the rest of you. As crappy as it will feel, I will be digging deep into your lives to find out what you hate most, what you fear most and what you want most. And I will use it against you" Frost made the position clear.

"Why?" Luna spoke quietly as the surgeon attended her arm.

"Because warriors must know their fears, hates and their wants. Without that basic understanding of your character you cannot become a warrior" Frost addressed them with great seriousness.

Padma and Luna looked at each other. Luna's arm in a sling while the bones mended the old fashioned way for a while, until such time a trustworthy healer wizard could be found in Tibet. Parvati stood up, wavering on her feet.

"You want your turn then?" Frost asked with a very cocky grin.

Parvati shook as she took up stance, a challenging look in her eyes as she squared up with Frost. The female cryomancer walked towards her with deliberate finesse. With a quickness born of training and experience, Frost threw a punch at Parvati. To her pleasant surprise, Parvati ducked under the punch and pushed the arm away and kicked Frost in the ribs.

"Good, you are all learning. Now, we step it up a notch" Frost smiled.

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Hermione was indeed a force to be reckoned with. No matter the task and no matter the opposition she would attack it with the sort of determination one expects from a hunter. She had whipped the Ball committee into shape forth with and by Saturday afternoon, the Great Hall was ready for the senior years. Ginny had seen to the junior ballroom. An unused classroom magically enhanced by McGonagall to be about the size of the real Great Hall.

"You owe me big time woman" Ginny grouched and flung herself into a chair, groaning from muscle pain.

"Do I indeed?" Hermione asked with a shocked look.

"Yes you do, massage my shoulders and we'll be even" Ginny muttered.

Smiling wearily, Hermione stood behind the chair and began massaging Ginny's shoulders. Ginny nearly melted into the chair as the tension eased from her aching limbs, sore from hanging decorations to delicate to entrust to magic.

"You are a god at this you know" Ginny mumbled.

"That's goddess and thank you, I do know" Hermione corrected.

"Where is my no good brother and that hellion Harry he calls a friend?" Ginny asked, noticing their absence.

"Hogsmeade, Harry is buying his robes for tonight. I still can't wrap my head around it" Hermione chuckled.

"Around what?" Ginny looked up her puzzled girlfriend.

"Harry and Tonks, it's just so incongruous. I don't think it's bad, Tonks has helped him heal these past few months. Still, who saw it coming?" Hermione explained.

"I dare say no one, which is why it is so nice for him. It wasn't alluded to in the papers of expected of him by people. It is a relationship of his own creation with a woman of his choosing" Ginny was able to succinctly sum it all up.

"You should be a relationship therapist or something. And as for the woman angle, if they decided to, you know, the poor boy may get a little overwhelmed" Hermione couldn't help but snort, imaging poor Harry taking in the sight of Tonks with no clothes on.

"I concur, it may kill him" Ginny giggled.

"That would be a man's death" male voices made them both look to their left.

"Seamus and Dean, what are you two doing?" Ginny was immediately suspicious of them.

"Well, we were actually wondering who Harry was bringing to the ball, he's been uptight all bloody week" Seamus muttered.

"He is meeting someone there, for all other information you will have to ask Harry, anyway, who are you two taking?" Ginny directed the conversation back to them.

"We aren't taking anyone, nor do we feel like chancing it on the off chance we end up with someone like Pansy from Slytherin" Dean explained; Seamus doing a 'Homer Simpson' shudder at the mention of Pansy's name.

"If you two are planning on creating some Fred and George style mischief, I'll skin you both alive" Hermione looked straight at them with very narrow eyes.

"No, we have offered to chaperone the junior dance, make sure no funny buggers try and pull a fast one" Seamus muttered.

"You miss Parvati and Padma don't you?" Ginny asked a genuine sympathetic look on her face.

"Yeah, I guess we do" this time they spoke in unison.

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Harry was in Hogsemeade with Ron, this much was true. Looking for robes was a bit of a misnomer, more like desperately searching. So far, Harry hadn't found anything that seemed right.

"Come on mate, we've been everywhere looking for robes, even the kinds of placed known for their danger to anal virginity" Ron moaned, being the tactless bugger he always was.

"Well you weren't de-virginised Ron, so stop whinging" Harry muttered.

"Harry, just because you suffer from an inferiority complex in your relationship, no need to be grouchy with me" Ron snapped with a grin.

"Smartarse" Harry hissed and stood up again.

"Why don't you try that costume shop, it is after all a masquerade ball" Ron pointed to a small costume shop, almost unnoticeable.

"Well, we've tried everywhere else" Harry agreed and made his way towards the shop.

The shop itself seemed dingy to most, but Harry felt like it was a warm and friendly place. An old wizard behind the counter looked at them both with eyes as sharp as dragon claws.

"What can I do for you young fellas?" he asked, a distinct accent in his voice.

"I'm looking for something to wear to a masquerade ball" Harry answered.

"I see, well, step this way gentlemen" the old wizard beckoned them both towards his wares.

There was formal wear of both Wizard and Muggle origin, from robes to tuxedos of all colours and styles. There were even some medieval European and Asian formal clothes. Harry perused them for a long while until he came across a set of old Wizard's robes bearing the crest of Godric Gryffindor and a sword hanging at its waist. The robes themselves were a scarlet colour with a black trim, the emblem on the chest was made of a gold fabric.

"How much for this item?" Harry asked.

"You've a fine eye young man. You in Gryffindor house young'en?" the old man carefully removed the robes from their display and began packing the robes up.

"Yeah, I am" Harry was relieved that this old Wizard didn't recognise him.

"Okay, that will be 12 Galleons" Harry handed over the money in an instant.

"Thank you sir" Harry said and collected the package.

"You are most welcome, Mr. Potter" the old Wizard said as Harry and Ron exited the shop.

"Come on, let's drop into the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer shall we" Ron smiled at Harry's frustrated face.

"Sure, why not" Harry said and threw his arms up in resignation.

Harry and Ron walked into the Three Broomsticks and pulled up a seat each and ordered a few butterbeers. The pub was abuzz with voices taking of all the normal things; women, money and their work. As Madam Rosemerta put their drinks down, Harry heard her mutter about 'some ugly toad woman' and lots of 'snotty nose children' in the private dining room.

"Wait a minute; you remember that poster we saw in the Great Hall the other day about some youth group the Ministry created?" he said.

"Yeah, I do actually. Wasn't the main meeting being held here today?" Ron had it finally dawn on him.

Harry nodded and inclined his head towards the dining room. Ron nodded back and they both left their table and went over to the door to another table. Ron produced two Extendable Ears that he'd managed to salvage from his mother's purge last year. Placing the ear parts on the doors, they placed the cords in their ears so they could hear.

"-Umbridge, how do we know what to look for?" a nervous sounding voice asked.

"Well, anyone who obviously opposes the Ministry is someone to be suspicious of. Also anyone who maintains highly secretive personal goings on or groups are also to be investigated" the sickly and falsely sweet voice Ron and Harry loathed replied.

"Should we try and infiltrate these groups or befriend these people?" a girl asked.

"Only if you truly believe that you can withstand their dark teachings and such" Umbridge replied in a placating voice.

"What about students who seem, unbalanced" Harry would recognise that voice anywhere: Draco.

"What do you mean Draco?" she asked in a sycophantic way.

"Well take Harry Potter for instance. He and I were practicing Defence against Dark Arts, very properly I assure you. Then he just went mad, and attacked me. He broke my elbow and my knee using some Muggle fighting" Draco spat the word.

'He's probably jealous that he can't do it' Harry thought.

"Well, yes, individuals like that should be watched very carefully. In fact, if it happens again, then you should report him to me. It isn't surprising, having a mudblood for a mother" Umbridge gave Draco very clear instructions.

Harry tightened his grip on the butterbeer bottle, gripping it so hard that Ron thought the glass was breaking. Harry's family was a tenuous subject at best with him, but to outright insult Lily or James Potter was to invite violence upon your person.

"What if we were to say we also believe he's a sexual deviant" Pansy Parkinson pipped up.

Harry and Ron froze: what the hell could that crazy girl have been talking about? A look of dread crossed Harry's face: he'd gone to visit Tonks during the week to see if she was still up to the dance. Pansy must have been there and seen him.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

"I went to see Tonks a couple of nights ago, we had a chat and I kissed her. Pansy must have seen me" Harry whispered.

"Ms. Parkinson, what are you talking about?" Umbridge asked.

"I saw Harry Potter in the medical wing of Hogwarts, there was young woman there, and she'd been brought to Hogwarts by some weird man. Harry kissed her while he was there" Pansy explained.

"Hmm, yes, that is a very worrying development. I did not know that Hogwarts was caring for prostitutes now" Umbridge said in a faux weary tune.

Ron had to quickly restrain Harry and remove the extendable ears from the door. Seeing that Harry looked ready to start a real scene, Ron decided it would be best to get him out of the pub. Grabbing their unopened butterbeers, Ron thanked Madam Rosemerta and managed to march him out of the pub.

"Bloody hell mate, you nearly blew it then" Ron said to him: Harry still looked ready to kick the door down and hurt every living thing in that room.

"The only thing I want to blow is that door, I want to blow it down and then blow them sky high" Harry snarled.

"Yeah I know, but you do that and god knows what Umbridge will be able to do to you. You could be looking at a stint in Azkaban" Ron hissed.

"I will not let her call Tonks a whore. Not while I can defend her honour" Harry got right in Ron's face.

"Merlin Harry, get over yourself. While I'm sure that kind of crap goes down well in books, be realistic about that. Tonks is an Auror, she will have been accused of worse. So pull your head in and realise that she doesn't need your protection" Ron had Harry by the front of his robes.

"I thought that kind of advice was annual with you" Harry said after a few minutes, looking defeated.

"Yeah well, having no Luna around has given me a lot spare thinking time" Ron admitted with a long face.

"Fair enough, come on, we may as well go" Harry said, sounding resigned.

"Good call fella" Ron said and handed Harry his butterbeer.

Sighing, Harry and Ron made their way back towards Hogwarts, both of them thinking deeply about the information they'd just gathered. These 'Watchers' were going to be a huge threat to their personal privacy and their efforts to defeat Voldermort.

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Lord Voldermort sat on a throne of sorts in his hideout, some of his most wanted Death Eaters surrounding him. Bellatrix Lestrange, Wormtail and Lucius and some others. Curled around his feet was the giant snake Nagini. He was plotting to try and get into Hogwarts but as it stood at the moment, he had no idea how to do it.

"My Lord, there are two, men who seek an audience with you" a lower echelon Death Eater prostrated himself before Voldermort before speaking.

"Two mere mortals seek an audience with me, the Dark Lord!" Voldermort exclaimed.

"Well, my lord, they have killed my other guard. I beg your forgiveness for my failure" the Death Eater begged.

"Show them in then; they cannot be ordinary men if they can kill one of you" Voldermort shrugged, and beckoned Bellatrix and Lucius to his side.

The doors swung open and two tall and powerful men walked in. One had a grey coloured skin with tattoos on his body and the other was a handsome Chinese man in scarlet robes. Voldermort looked at them both with a critical look.

"No wands, I'm insulted" he said.

The Chinese man simply held his hand out and let loose a fireball at the Death Eater who'd shown him in. The other man laughed as the Death Eater ran around screaming in pain. Voldermort simply raised an eyebrow, as if appreciating a work of art.

"Impressive, but why are you here?" Voldermort asked.

"Voldermort, what if we were to tell you that we could take you to a place where men like you are not criminals but generals of armies, leaders of men and rulers of great empires" Quan Chi said.

"I would ask if you were mad" Voldermort replied.

"Well, there is such a place, known as Outworld. Ruled by a man much like yourself, our lord Shao Kahn. In that land we could also teach you magic darker than you can imagine" Shang Tsung dangled that like a carrot in Voldermort's face.

"Like what?" Bellatrix was furious that anyone could say they could _teach_ Lord Voldermort anything.

Shang turned around and saw the still flaming Death Eater. Smirking he walked over to the man. Violently stamping on him, Shang held his hand over the man's chest.

"Your soul, is MINE" Shang yelled out.


	8. Chapter 8

The Death Eater's body began convulsing and a stream of blue was streaming up from the body and into Shang's hand as colour drained from the man's body till he was nothing but a pasty white colour. Shang removed his foot and left the body alone to rot.

"How would you like to learn how to suck the very soul from your enemy's body and add their power to your own?" Shang held his fist in front of him as he spoke, grinning manically.

While the rest of the Death Eaters looked on in shock and amazement, Voldemort looked very impressed by this display of magic. Without a wand no less, it was amazing.

"I see, and you would be willing to do all this for me, why?" Voldemort was smart enough know that no one did something for nothing.

"In three months time, an ancient Fighting Tournament will be taking place to decide the final fate of this realm. However, we believe we can persuade our master to just claim this place, and let you rule it" Shang Tsung explained.

"So what to I have to do to secure this position of power?" Voldemort's followers were watching the exchange before them.

"Send your followers to kill these people; they are the champions of the Earthrealm in this tournament" Quan Chi handed a piece of parchment to the closest Death Eater; the parchment listed the following names.

_Liu Kang_

_Kitana_

_Johnny Cage_

_Sonya Blade_

_Cyrax_

_Kung Lao_

_Sub Zero_

_Scorpion_

_Frost_

"Kill Earthrealm's Chosen Warriors, and our master can easily take over this realm, and if you kill them, the Elder Gods won't have enough time to choose new ones"

"A very tempting offer. However, these people are all in different parts of the globe, I have but a small but loyal following at this stage" Voldemort was confident, but he wasn't stupid.

"We can take care of that: you will find most of them in China, we can take your men there to dispose of them" Quan Chi explained with a wave of his hand.

"Where are the others?" Bellatrix finally decided to speak.

"America, although we seem to have lost track of Scorpion and Sub Zero. But still, if we manage to whittle the list down to those two, we shouldn't have a problem" Shang dismissed their locations as a small matter.

Voldemort thought the offer over: it was incredibly tempting. They would teach him dark magic beyond his comprehension if he agreed to assist them. Though the thought of treachery was not far from his mind, Voldemort knew to try and double cross or kill them now would be ruinous.

"Very well, I accept your offer. If you teach me the dark magic you did there, then I will assist you in disposing of these, filthy Muggle warriors" Voldemort grinned at them, his eyes glowing.

"Excellent. We shall return in two days with the required items and texts with which to teach you" Quan Chi decided to inflate Voldemort's ego by bowing to him.

The two sorcerers turned and walked out of Voldemort's hall, both smiling a smug and self confident smile. Voldemort too called his closest Death Eaters around him in football huddle. Quan Chi and Shang left the building now through large doors.

"Do you think his 'warriors' will succeed?" Shang asked as he and Quan Chi heard the doors shut behind them.

"Even killing one or two of Earth's champions would be a victory for us. Any less of them is more a chance for us to win Earthrealm" Shang replied.

"Do you really think Shinnok or Shao Kahn will let him rule this realm in their stead?" Quan Chi had a sarcastic drawl in his voice.

"Not a chance, they'd just be a threat to Kahn's dominance, and by connection Shinnok's as well" Shang knew Shao Kahn well enough to know that no one ruled for him.

"My lord, is it wise to trust them?" Severus Snape, in his spy guise was questioning Voldemort's decision.

"Of course not Severus, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and in this case also a reservoir of knowledge, a knowledge I wish to exploit" Voldemort replied, his eyes glinting madly.

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----------Lin Kuei Temple---------

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"Well done, you have all completed your basic training of Lin Kuei martial arts. However, we believe that strength comes from diversity. It is with that creed in mind that I have watched you and decided that you should each learn a different style" Frost was addressing her four guests.

"What was that based on?" Neville asked, still a nervous boy.

"Everything I've observed about you, attitudes, athletic prowess and even your personality quirks, also I've made a call on what kind of weapons to each you all to use" Frost replied.

"Oh, okay" Neville replied.

The week had changed the teenagers from shy to bold and brought out talents they didn't know existed. Neville was finding his self confidence grow with every day, Parvati had learnt to become a little more level headed while conversely Padma learnt to follow her heart a little more than her instincts. Luna however seemed much the same, a quiet, strange yet big hearted young woman with nary a violent bone in her body.

"Luna, come here" Frost addressed her directly.

"Yes?" she asked in her low voice, eyes wide.

"I have observed you all of this week and still you present me with a challenge. With that in mind I have decided that you shall begin training in Aikido" Frost removed an Aikido uniform from a trunk and handed it to her.

"Why this form?" Luna asked.

"Because you are not a violent person, but you are strong. Aikido has no offensive techniques, everything is reactionary, and it's as quirky and unique as you are" Frost answered with a grin.

Luna said nothing and sat down again, studying the uniform and gently rubbing it.

"Parvati, front and centre" Frost let a real shit eating grin cover her face.

"Okay, what do I get?" Parvati was excited to such an extent one might think she was opening a Christmas present.

"I have given you a very unique style. I noticed that you liked to dance" Frost baited her.

"Yeah, I do" the girl admitted with a blush.

"Well be prepared for a dance with a difference. You shall be studying the Brazilian art of Capoeira, a martial art that requires a dancer's agility, natural rhythm and flexibility" Frost handed Parvati the pants and woman's Capoeira top.

"Oh, I think I saw one of your men doing this" she muttered as she sat down.

"Yeah, okay. For you Padma, I thought long and hard on this, in the end the best choice seemed to be Wing Chun. A no nonsense style of Kung Fu" Frost threw Padma some Wing Chun robes.

"And last but not least, young Neville here. A wiry lad with lots of speed on him, and also a fierce spirit. You will be learning Muay Thai" Frost shocked him with that revelation.

"Thai Kickboxing, you want me to learn that?" Neville nearly fainted: he'd heard stories of Thai fighters from his friends at school, mainly from Dean.

He'd heard they were among the most feared martial artists in the world; their techniques for strengthening the body were as brutal as the fighting style itself, comprising of devastating blows administered by the feet, knees, hands, and elbows.

"Yes, for the simple reason I know you wouldn't abuse the style. The only Muay Thai fighters who truly need to be vicious are the ones who live in the backstreets of Bangkok" Frost assured him.

"Oh" Neville had still paled considerably.

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-------------Hogwarts---------------------

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Judgement Day was here. Harry stood in front of a mirror examining his robes for what could only be described as the millionth time that evening, much to Ron's chagrin. Like his friends Dean and Seamus, Ron had elected to help them supervise the junior ball, which was looking more like a costume party by now. Another thought that had been running around like a rat in both Harry and Ron's mind was Hermione and Ginny's dance.

"It should be a non issue, I think Sub Zero freezing a giant ball of ice around Larry's genitals have proved to be an adequate technique to dissuade their stupidity" Harry pointed out to Ron.

"Yeah I know, but she's my little sister Harry, to not worry about her would be tantamount to treason in my family. I only wish Fred and George were still here" Ron sighed.

"Why?" Harry asked, turning from the mirror.

"Come on Harry, no one is scared of me, but plenty of people were scared of Fred and George…and I know there are lots of people who are _terrified_ of you" Ron lamented.

"Well, Ron, I don't like people being scared of me, the very fact that I did what I did to Malfoy scares me a lot. I didn't think I had it in me to cause anyone, even Malfoy that kind of grievous injury" Harry sat down next to Ron, trying to console him.

"It isn't so much the fear Harry, but, the respect. Fred and George were respected because they were funny and good Quidditch players. You are respected, because you are Harry Potter, which isn't fair really, but now most of that respect comes from your skills as Seeker" Ron continued.

"Ah, so it is clear now. You don't want riches, or brains or even fear. You simply want respect" Harry finally managed to work out one of the few things Ron truly wanted.

"Yeah, the riches would be nice too, but lets start with respect and work our way up" Ron managed to get a joke in to lighten the mood.

"Ron, I cannot foresee the future, despite what Trewlawny says or thinks neither does she. However it doesn't take a genius to work out that you will do something incredible one day. And it will be something totally unconnected to me, Voldemort or anything like this" Harry consoled his friend with a reassurance of his future.

"Maybe. Go on, you've a beautiful woman to impress, and I've a beautiful girl to miss" Ron patted Harry on the back and got up to leave the room.

Harry got up again and looked at himself in the mirror. His robes, so bright they could blind a man where offset by their midnight black trimmings. The front had less red since it was covered in a golden Gryphon crest. The sword that came with the robes was just a handle over a very real sheath. He simply removed the sheath and placed his latest, acquisition in its place and examined himself.

"Okay, it's time to dance" Harry said to himself.

Harry left the common room and made his way down to the Great Hall. He passed many couples on his way down and saw robes of varying degrees of splendour. He even passed Professor Flitwick who was dressed in such a way that he looked like a giant tomato with a gold jacket. Harry waved to him as he passed.

"Evening Harry m'boy, I say that is a rather dapper robe" Flitwick commented.

"Thanks, professor" Harry said and continued on his way.

Harry walked into the Great Hall and was basically assaulted with colour and grandeur. Hermione and Ginny had used the primary colour scheme as Red and black, with trimmings in silver, gold and dark purple. Animated models of each Hogwarts house animal floated overhead, snakes slithered between the balloons as giant lions leapt across the roof, as if to pounce on some prey. A flock of eagles soared overhead in a V formation and the small muddle of badgers frolicked in the balloons with the snakes.

Tapestry adorned every square inch of wall, with pictures of comical caricatures of werewolves, vampires and banshees among others. Also, jack o lanterns floated above the students where the candles would be, the night sky on the roof looking like a dark purple sky with silver pin pricks for stars. A look around the room saw that the ball was less formal than the Yule Ball of Forth Year, given the presence of tables of food for the party goers to nibble on.

"Those two are a force of nature" Harry chuckled as he went over to munch on some crackers and dip.

Even walking that short distance Harry was bombarded with masks of all shapes, sizes and colours. He swore he recognised Hannah Abbot in a mask covered in Peacock feathers but wasn't sure, and the young man in the tiger stripe mask looked disturbingly like David, a fifth year Gryffindor.

"Ah, blessed food, better get something in me and then find some Dutch courage" Harry muttered.

The music began to play. A real band had been unreachable this time, so with the help of some of the more Muggle raised students; a large CD player had been acquired and from the students a large collection of CD's had also been procured. So there was a large variety of music to choose from. The current selection sounded like traditional music without words.

"Ah, Harry, good to see you" Dumbledore strode over and gave Harry a pat on the back.

"Hello professor" Harry paused and checked for anyone planning on eavesdropping.

"Is Tonks coming tonight?" he asked.

"I do believe young Tonks is well enough to join us, although do not dance too fast. I believe that Lupin took her home a few minutes ago to get changed" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as Harry blushed.

"She's still a bit hurt then?" Harry looked a little ashamed of himself.

"I dare say if it weren't got Scorpion, she would be in worse shape. Although, I do wish he hadn't…" Dumbledore trailed off when he saw Harry's questioning look.

"Wish he hadn't done what Professor?" Harry looked at Dumbledore curiously; he never found out what had happened at the airport.

"Nothing Harry, just an old man's ramblings. I believe they are about to start the music for a slow dance" Dumbledore hurried away, as if worried about something.

Soon a soft, melodic tune began playing, although Harry paid it nearly no heed as he searched the dance floor for the one he wished to dance with. As he passed the myriad of masks, Harry was hit by the irony of Tonks, a witch capable of masking herself in anyway, still having to dress up here. Seeing he'd get nowhere looking at faces, Harry concentrated on the gloves.

"That shop owner said they'd glow, if they don't I'll put his balls in a garlic crusher" Harry muttered.

"Now Harry, is that anyway to talk in the presence of a lady?" a playful voice made Harry snap around and see a woman only a hair taller than him standing there.

Wearing a grin that was almost as infections as Plague, Harry's eyes travelled to the gloves. Not long after, he smiled back. Tonks held out her hand and Harry took it gingerly and pulled Tonks into an embrace and the two began to dance.

"How you holding up?" Tonks asked.

"Better than Ron, but not by much. How about you, dear Tonks" Harry wasn't very good at sweet talk, content only to be able to bask in Tonks' presence.

"She'll be fine, and so will the others. Speaking of fine, you look brilliant" she whispered to him.

"You look lovely too, I don't think I've ever dreamed a woman as attractive as you would ever go out with me" Harry started putting himself down again.

"Now we've had this dance before, so don't. You and I both know how I feel about you saying things like that" Tonks admonished him.

"Fair enough" Harry replied as he twirled Tonks around.

The dance itself flowed like the intertwining energies of the galaxy, each one intersecting only where it was supposed to. Tonks and Harry danced, both of them finally able to relax a little and act like the couple they had fast become. Harry did keep one eye surreptitiously on Hermione and Ginny, but it became obvious that no one cared anymore.

"They look good don't they?" Harry asked, nodding over to them.

"Yeah they do. Have Ginny and Molly talked yet?" Tonks asked, looking at Harry with her vivid purple eyes.

"Not that I know of. I hope they make up soon, she misses her mother" Harry hoped the two would patch up their relationship.

"I'm sure they will" Tonks patted Harry on the back to console him.

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Outside the Hogwarts grounds, twelve Death Eaters quietly made their way towards the school. Being relatively new the Voldemort's circle of followers, and being out of their Death Eater outfits made them highly inconspicuous. Indeed to passers by, they seemed more like rich young debutants who'd been drinking too much wine.

"Are we there yeeeeet?" one of the wizards drawled.

"Only a little further, then we'll be there" the leader, a man with a snobbish accent replied.

"Oh come on DuPont, my legs are tired. I ain't getting all buggered for some mud bloods, can't we rest?" a whiney witch, Mildred moaned.

"Shut, your bloody gob ya cockney wench and move your arse before I kick it" DuPont's accent totally disappeared when he yelled.

"Grouchy bastard" Mildred hissed and kept walking.

The remaining Death Eaters were just muscle in the group. DuPont, Morrison and Mildred were the 'brains' as it were. They had been provided with information on how to get onto the grounds. They took the long way around to avoid Hagrid's hut and that monster dog, Fang. Soon the reached the gates the children went through to go to Hogsmeade. Opening the gate quietly, the Death Eaters breached Hogwarts.

"The so called safest place in the wizarding world, hmm" DuPont grinned smugly, turning to his fellow Death Eaters.

"Okay, Morrison, Mildred and I will take, you four and head for the Great Hall, the rest of you make your way to the unused classroom where the younger students are, and you know the drill" DuPont said, rubbing his hands together.

"That we do" someone shouted from the back.

"Well, let us go then" DuPont and those he chose followed him towards the Great Hall.

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Ron couldn't help smiling: the younger students weren't so much having a masquerade ball, just a ball. They'd dressed up as all sorts and the music was loud and hardly as refined as the display in the Great Hall. However as they ran around laughing and dancing with no sense of rhythm, it was infectious. He did come to a startling conclusion though.

'Luna would probably have preferred this party to the other one' he realised.

Looking around, he could almost see Luna, in some hilarious costume frolicking around the room with a huge grin on her face and falling among the balloons and laughing. Thinking of that made Ron himself laugh. The more sombre pair of Dean and Seamus were just content to just sort of look as though they were a bit lost, but they held a glass up, like a salute and downed the drink.

"I hope they're okay" Dean muttered.

"Lads, I'm sure they're fine" Ron called out.

Before entering the party, Ron had made a point of checking the students for anything dangerous that older students may have given them as pranks. He also looked surreptitiously for anyone with a 'Watcher's Badge'. He wanted to know how many of his fellows had turned on Hogwarts and Dumbledore. So far none of the students had been wearing one, of course there are a myriad of reasons they could not be seen.

'Probably just being paranoid' Ron thought as he watched them play.

Turning his eyes to the room's biggest curio, he couldn't help but snigger. Madam Hooch dressed in a princess dress, while Sub Zero dressed as a Chinese noble danced among the younger students, the girls making all sorts of funny faces at their love struck teacher.

"Never in a million years…" Ron muttered as Sub Zero twirled Madam Hooch around.

Sub Zero was in hell, but it was all worth it. He'd never had as much fun with a lady as he had with Rolanda. Her quirky and dry wit seemed to fill all the right psychological niches in his brain and he liked to think that some of his almost childlike use of ice made up for her sternness. Suddenly the music stopped.

"Okay, who tripped over the cords?" Sub Zero folded his arms across his chest and looked indignant.

"Sorry, my bad" a young boy called and plugged the stereo back into the, what ever it was that it was plugged into to give it power.

This time the machine began playing an English folk song, perfect for pubs and dances at old country fairs. So, in best possible tradition, Rolanda tried to do a jig, but Sub Zero kept messing up the steps and tripping over. All the children found this utterly hilarious, Ron especially.

"Not so graceful on your feet now are ya?" he called out.

"Silence Mr. Weasley" Madam Hooch glared at Ron, still grinning.

Silence lasted for exactly three seconds before the door exploded in a shower of chips and splinters. The younger students screamed and ran for cover while Ron, Seamus and Dean, accompanied by Madam Hooch drew wands and readied for combat. Suddenly the whole room went dark; they could hear the chants of the Death Eaters as they entered the room.

"We entered in a circle and will keep firing until the darkness lifts, you won't know what hit you" a voice intoned softly.

'Morons, you challenge an assassin in his own domain?' Sub Zero was used to darkness, even darkness as dank as this one.

Using years of honed senses and many a mission in the dark, Sub Zero used the lingering echoes of their voices to trace them. Taking a bold gamble, Sub Zero threw an ice orb at what he hoped was a Death Eater. Since the shape that materialised as being as tall as him, and wearing a stupid pointed cap he was able to say he hit the mark. Launching forward, Sub Zero punched the frozen man, shattering him like a dropped cup.

Sensing a good moment, Madam Hooch threw some brightness powder, blinding the Death Eaters. Sub Zero took less time to recover and immediately leapt at the nearest Death Eater, with the firm intention of tearing their throat out.

Able to see once more, Ron and his fellow Sixth Year students showed the Death Eater's how they'd learnt to fight. Stunners, Expelliarmus and many other spells were launched in quick succession. A single Death Eater managed to fire the Aveda Kedavra curse at a first year.

"No!" Madam Hooch saw the next events happen in slow motion.

Sub Zero dived for the child and then rolled backwards. As he rolled, a solid ice clone of him remained behind, taking the spell instead of him. Ron wasted no time in securing that Death Eater's wand, issuing a quick kick to the ribs for good measure.

"Well, this is certainly an entertaining evening" Sub Zero muttered.

Celebration was too quick: it turned out one of the Death Eater's was an unregistered Animagus. His body morphed slowly at first but soon gained pace and where there was once a man now sat a large and ferocious looking wolf. Grinning, Sub Zero squared off and concentrated: he too began to change form into…

…a fully grown Polar Bear.

"That is brilliant" Ron muttered as Sub Zero swung a powerful paw at the wolf.

The power of Sub Zero's bear form belted the hapless Death Eater across the room and into the wall, loud cracking noises echoing in the room upon impact. When the wolf didn't move again, Sub Zero reverted to his human form.

"Animality" he muttered.


	9. Chapter 9

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Thanks to my friend Kydra for all his help on this chapter

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DuPont and his group of Death Eaters had made their way stealthily towards the Great Hall. It seemed most of the teachers were in the two ballrooms. DuPont checked the list of pictures. Those were students he was to hurt but not kill, most were children of Death Eaters. They were to kill everyone else, if only for the demoralising and frightening effect it had.

"Okay, we need to put the teachers out of commission first, especially Dumbledore and McGonagall" DuPont instructed his followers.

"How do we do that?" one of the slower ones asked.

"Use these invisibility cloaks, sneak up behind them and stun them, bind them what ever, just make sure they cannot fight" DuPont handed out the cloaks.

"DuPont, these aren't first year hicks, this is the staff of Hogwarts, and they're some of the most powerful wizards and witches in the world. This won't be easy" Morrison pointed out.

"I know, that is why we must take this very slowly and very carefully. We have prepared this short Polyjuice potion in advance, using the children of some of the faithful who are not in the Great Hall" DuPont revealed their secret weapon.

Handing out the Polyjuice potion, each Death Eater placed their cloak over themselves and drank their potions. Keeping as quiet as possible they allowed the change to go through. After calming down, they silently entered the Great Hall.

"Okay, Morrison and I will take care of Dumbledore, well, as best we can. Mildred, you and Thomas take McGonagall. Only make your move after we have secured Dumbledore, if we fail, you must retreat" DuPont advised

"But the Dark Lord…" Mildred looked mortified.

"Will not kill you, he is far to preoccupied learning new magic spells and whatnot from those two, sorcerers that we met a while ago" DuPont pointed out.

Indeed, there had been fewer of the Death Eater's earning Voldemort's wrath lately. He'd been in closed chambers with the two Outworld magic users, learning magic well beyond that which few other than Merlin may ever have known about. The good thing was it made him less privy or willing to punish severely and minor failures.

'Then again, this is no small mission' DuPont thought as he silently opened the door.

The Death Eaters, under cover of cloaks, entered the ballroom and each quickly sought out their respective quarry. DuPont and Morrison saw Dumbledore sitting in a chair at the head of the room, watching his students.

McGonagall was also seated, a goblet of wine in her hand and swinging her head in time to the beat, some kind of ballroom song. Mildred and Thomas silently crept up behind her, having shed the cloaks and simple looking like they were dancing around lamely until they stood behind her.

These particular potions were shortened in their duration: instead of an hour they had fifteen minutes before the potion wore off. Hence, getting in a position to disarm and stun the various teachers and other assorted guards, but wands were banded from the ballroom. Only the prefects and those over the age of 18 were allowed to carry them.

'Five more minutes. Best have that door locked' DuPont sent a signal to his man by the door to use a powerful locking spell on the door.

The doors looked as normal, but if anyone tried to open them, they would send them flying backwards with a painful shock. Sensing the time was right, DuPont told his men to strike…

…And like the Blitzkrieg on London in World War II, the Death Eater struck.

"CRUCIO" Mildred fired the Curse of Pain point blank into McGonagall's back.

The pain was so sudden and sharp, that McGonagall went forward sharply, Thomas thinking quickly disarmed her with Expelliarmus, and kept the wand in his pocket. Being no slouch, Mildred followed up with Petrificus Totalus, rendering her unable to move.

"Minerva…" Dumbledore got up and moved towards her.

He didn't get far because DuPont fired a Stupefy spell. The spell did very little to Dumbledore, but Morrison followed up with **Incarcerous, encasing Dumbledore in ropes.**

**"Accios, Dumbeldore's wand" DuPont summoned the headmaster's wand.**

**"And now for some old fashioned methods for keeping him quiet" Morrison said and punched Dumbledore hard across the face, knocking him out cold.**

**"Powerful or not, few don't fall after a punch to the face" DuPont agreed with the statement.**

"Well done everyone, now, whom do we start with?" DuPont wondered as he looked around, tapping his wand on his forehead.

**The other teachers were taken out in the same lightning fashion as their bosses. Severus Snape even suffering from some painful spells. Soon after the teachers were secured, the Death Eaters set about disabling the Prefects. It wasn't a hard task since the Prefects had been taught by the useless Professor Umbridge.**

**"Shit" Harry dived behind a table as a Death Eater fired a spell at him.**

**Tonks had disappeared in the fray. Harry knew better than to worry about her so he concentrated on getting himself to door and open them up for the students to escape. However, a rather powerful Reducto spell made the table to his right explode in a shower of wood chips.**

**"Oh cock" Harry swore.**

**"I dare say Mr. Potter you have more problems at the moment than sneaking towards a door" DuPont said with his teeth bared in a savage grin.**

**"So I gathered" Harry answered, his eyes darting all around looking for something, anything for him to hide behind.**

**"Hmm, you are caught with no wand, and now allies now Mr. Potter. What do you do?" Morrison asked sarcastically.**

Without warning, a sudden scream diverted the attention of the Death Eaters attention long enough for Harry to bolt behind another table. Tonks was in her element, combat. Using a combination of her magic spells and the martial arts and fighting skills she'd honed and perfected over the years, Tonk was able to disarm and disable three of the Death Eaters before they all fell on her.

"Well, bring it on" she snarled.

DuPont saw the words as a personal challenge and he brought it on. An accomplished hand at Savate and Boxing he was able to go toe-to-toe with Tonks on both a magical and martial level. Harry had approached the door and tried to open it. True to the spell's promise, if flung him far across the room, right into DuPont.

'Ah ha, an opportunity!' he thought.

Moving more in a position to catch Harry, DuPont was able to make the boy land squarely on his chest, and because he prepared for it, didn't get the wind knocked out of him. Quickly moving his wand to Harry's temple, he brought the fight to a somewhat speedy standstill.

"Ah, and now the moral dimension, Auror, do you risk your life for the Famous Boy Who Lived, or do you sacrifice him to defeat me and save everyone else? Haven't enough people died because of him yet?" DuPont was unusually smart for a Death Eater, he was also quite mad.

"You harm him and you won't leave this room alive" Tonks snarled, a look in her eyes not dissimilar to the one Harry saw in the eyes of the Dragon he faced in the TriWizard tournament.

"Ah, but you aren't an Enforcer, using an Unforgivable will still land your arse in Azkaban" DuPont taunted.

"I can kill you seven times with my left hand you arrogant bastard, and I don't need a wand to do it" the timely arrival of one of the more stupid Death Eaters allowed her to prove the point.

Using a clenched finger strike, Tonks first struck hard at the throat, pushing the esophageus together and as she brought her first strike back, threw the second one in similar fashion into the solar plexus. These two strike immobilised the Death Eater and Tonk applied the killing blows. Using a palm heel strike, she pushed the nose cartlidge into the brain. As the Death Eater fell down, Tonks brought a powerful knife hand strike to his temple, rendering him dead.

"Get my point?" she asked with a very stony face.

The somewhat savage display allowed Harry to head butt DuPont in the nose, breaking it and allowing him to get away for a moment. However Tonks rushed DuPont at the same time and this caused something of a problem. Harry landed on his side and DuPont, taking advantage of Tonks' lowered body position, thrust a powerful strike with his knee into her sternum, breaking it. Tonks immediately fell to her knees in pain.

"You were a worthy opponent. But not for much longer" DuPont rose his wand and began to speak.

"Aveda Kedav-" a sudden numbing sensation had taken over his hand.

He looked down and saw no hand, merely a bloody stump and sword blade. Harry, seeing what DuPont planned for his lover and had been galvanised into action. Remembering he had hung at his waist the most powerful sword in Europe, Harry went on autopilot and drew it and attacked.

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD" DuPont screamed, again his voice lost its normal sophistication.

Morrison ran towards Harry, intending to disarm him. Fate intervened at that point and Harry turned, still holding the sword in a tight two-handed grip. Morrison had not the reflex or wit to stop himself and ended up impaling himself on the blade. So deep did he impale himself that he was nose to nose with Harry, and Harry saw the life slowly drain from the man's face.

"Ha, never thought you'd have the bottle to kill, Harry Potter, the Dark Lord won't be making that mistake again" Morrison choked these words out, coughing blood onto Harry's face.

During the entire fracas, one of the prefects who'd managed to hide crept over to McGonagall and removed the binding spell and gave the Deputy Headmistress her wand. With a look of fury on her face, McGonagall stood up.

"How dare you, come into this place" she growled.

Taking them by surprise McGonagall was able to stun Thomas and Mildred with no difficulty. With DuPont still stumbling around in shock and Morrison dead, the other two saw little choice but to rush their target: Harry Potter.

Again acting on autopilot, Harry saw them with their wands raised and preparing a spell. With little hope of it being something small or just painful, he swung Excalibur in a wide arcing slash. One of the two Death Eaters managed to slide under the blade, but his partner wasn't so lucky and the legendary blade caught her across the neck, severing her head from her body.

"Bloody hell" the other Death Eater muttered as he rolled and got up and made for the door.

"GET OVER HERE" Scorpion appeared in the Great Hall again and used his signature Harpoon technique to stop him.

At that moment the door burst open; Sub Zero, Ron, Dean and Seamus, Madam Hooch and Poppy Pomfrey came in wands at the ready. Seeing though that the fight was over, Madam Pomfrey saw to releasing the teachers from their bindings. Then she moved on to Tonks and her injured chest. A simple bone-healing spell was all that was needed to sort her out. Sheathing Excalibur, Harry ran to her side.

"Oh, I never knew Hogwarts had such a dangerous party scene" she groaned as Harry helped her up.

"Me neither, I guess they're really trying to give us full preparation for life in the outside world" Harry joked as they began walking towards the door.

The students began opening their eyes and coming out from their sparse hiding places to survey the damage. Some of them saw the bodies and became sick, other began sobbing as they realised that Hogwarts was no longer the safe haven it once was. Sub Zero was wandering around the room with a bland look on his face.

"Holy shit, they planned a double strike," Sub Zero muttered, casting an eye at the corpses and dead students.

"Voldemort is getting bolder, this can't go on" Harry muttered as he and Tonks hobbled past him.

'I agree' Sub Zero thought.

Sub Zero looked up and saw the Death Eater DuPont still stumbling around sans his wand in a form of shock. His eyes then followed the blood until he saw the headless body on the floor.

"Well, that looked like it hurt" Sub Zero said, throwing a cloak over the body before any of the younger students saw it

Dumbledore walked behind Sub Zero and looked at the covered body. His eyes went sad: he knew it was not right to see a young man of Harry's age know these things, or to commit them. Sub Zero turned around and looked at Dumbledore with a strange gaze.

"We did this Professor" Sub Zero wasn't feeling too noble at the moment.

"I'm not proud of these developments, Sub Zero, but-" Dumbledore was cut off by a soft but firm rebuke.

"This isn't fair, he's a young man, he's not a warrior and yet both of us have turned him into one. A warrior of justice or light is still a warrior and still goes to war. And so for the survival of many we must force him to kill someone. And we shall have to square with that someday" Sub Zero looked, upset.

"Yes, we shall" Dumbledore replied

"When do the Christmas holidays start?" Sub Zero asked.

"In a month and a half" Dumbledore answered after a moments thought.

"I think we should let him go to Tonks' for Christmas, he'll have to meet Ted and Andromeda at some point, and I found them to be most affable during Yuletide season" Sub Zero said, remembering his old friend with a gleam of humour.

"A good idea" Dumbledore concurred

"I best be off, the authorities will be here soon, I best make myself scarce" Sub Zero slipped off into the shadows of the Hogwarts school.

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Tonks and Harry managed to stumble to up to Gryffindor Tower. Harry muttered the password; the Fat Lady let them in but kept muttering about scandal and indecency. When she closed though, Harry kicked the back of the portrait viciously, snarled something obscene to the talking oil painting and continued up to the dorms. Tonks gently sat Harry on the bed.

"Best clean the blood off you, it can be a right bugger to get out" Tonks said trying to add some levity.

Harry said nothing as Tonks conjured a bowl of warm water and a sponge. Gently, she dipped the sponge and began wiping the blood from his face. Harry was barely moving, still looking a little vacant. Tonks stopped as she saw a little piece of white buried in Harry's cheek: skull bone.

'Best get rid of that' she thought.

"Tonks" Harry spoke.

"Yeah?" she asked, relieved that he was speaking.

"Have, have you ever killed anyone before?" Harry's voice had a slight tremble to it.

"Yes, once or twice" she answered.

"Does it ever get easier, as it happens more and more often?" Harry was shaking now, from cold or delayed shock, Tonks was unsure.

"No, and I hope it never gets easier, for either of us. Killing should never feel easy Harry, ever" she looked him in the eyes, her tone warm and comforting.

Harry collapsed into her arms, tired and spent from the energy expended to defeat his enemies, and emotionally drained for having to summon the fortitude or lack of conscience to kill them. Harry Potter was tired.

"Its okay, Harry" Tonks was crying now herself.

"I took human lives today, Tonks, even though they were evil, whose mothers and fathers did I just kill?" the boy was obviously in some kind of shock.

Tonks drew back: Harry's face was a mess. Hs eyes told her of a nearly broken spirit. So Tonks took a chance and leaned in and kissed Harry, not playfully of lustfully, but lovingly. Harry immediately went quiet and looked at Tonks, a ghost of hope lit in his eyes.

"See, that spark of feeling when I kissed you is something only someone who still knows how to feel would have, and you still know how to feel. Never forget it" Tonks hugged Harry again.

Harry rested his head on Tonks' shoulder. Soon his breathing turned rhythmic and Tonks heard him snore. Smiling, she gently lifted Harry up onto his bed and laid him down, using a spell to change him into his sleeping clothes. Then, after giving it less than a second of thought, she enlarged the bed to accommodate two and lay beside him.

"I have bad nightmares Tonks, like I have Dementors visit me in my sleep" Harry was momentarily roused.

'Then tonight, I am your Patronus, and they won't get past me" she looped an arm around his waist and held him tightly.

Unbeknown to either of them, Draco Malfoy had followed them up to the dorm using an invisibility cloak like Harry's. He was thinking what he should do: he had Potter in a perfect position for blackmail; he could easily have Tonks thrown of the Auror squad for this. Grinning, Draco raised his wand…

…Only to feel a vice like grip engulf his arm. He spun around and was confronted with Scorpion.

"So, you're Draco Malfoy" the disembodied voice of Scorpion grated on Draco's nerves.

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Back in the Great Hall, Aurors and Medi-Wizards had appeared to arrest the Death Eaters and tend to the injured and provide counselling, respectively. Albus knew this time there would be hell to pay this time. This kind of event could not be smoothed over, not by any means. He pulled McGonagall over to the side.

"I fear we may be in over our heads this time, Minerva, I do not believe Rufus Scrimgeour will allow me to stay on after this. We should prepare for a changing of the guard," he whispered.

"Speak of the devil and ye shall appear" Minerva muttered and nodded her head towards the doors as the Minister himself did indeed walk in.

"Albus, my old friend, are you okay?" the Minister asked.

"None the worse for wear, although I rather say I would be better off had I traded places with young Cormac McLaggen over there" Dumbledore said sadly.

"Albus, the best of wizards can be taken by surprise. From what I've been told by witnesses, this attack was carefully planned and executed. Though the other one in the other party was less so well planned out" Scrimgeour dropped the bomb.

"A second attack on the other ballroom, by Merlin's beard they're only children" Minerva hissed.

"Yes, but that attack was foiled by some very impressive spell work from your older students and the assistance of a mysterious third party as yet undisclosed. Rest assured we will find them" Scrimgeour said, rubbing his glasses on his robes.

"They are all good students" Dumbledore said

"Indeed, now Harry was involved in this little fracas, I also understand he had a sword. Now, the luck of its presence aside, I will need to speak to him later. For now he should rest, as should Auror Tonks. I do appreciate you letting her stay Albus"

"It is always a pleasure" Dumbledore answered cordially.

"Although that begs the question, why was she here in the first place? One of many questions the Aurors and Enforcers will get to the bottom of" the Minister said, eye Dumbledore carefully.

"Indeed, the truth will out as the Muggles say" was all the reply he got.

"There will have to be a fully public enquiry into this incident Albus, but I shouldn't worry about it. You could not have foreseen such a bold move. That's my job" Scrimgeour said, giving a small smile Dumbledore didn't trust as he walked away.

"I don't understand" McGonagall said.

"There is another Muggle saying, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, while I'm here I'm publicly accountable and scrutable, if he sacks me I can go on my merry way and do as I see fit. Here, I'm restricted" Dumbledore had to hand it to Scrimgeour: it was a clever move.

"I take this third party is Sub Zero?" McGonagall asked.

"I would think so, he was dancing with Rolanda from what I understand" Dumbledore found a small smile in that.

"I dare say you will be getting a few howlers in the next few days" she said, nodding towards parents who came to see their children.

"To say the least" Dumbldore sighed.

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Draco wondered how he managed to get into situations like this. Sure, he was planning on blackmailing Harry and his girlfriend or even hurting them. For one perverse moment he even considered killing them and making a break for it. However, the sudden appearance of Scorpion had thrown a proverbial wrench into that plan. Now he was being dangled with a rope by the ankle over the ledge of the Astronomy Tower.

"Did you give the Death Eaters the information they needed to get in here?" Scorpion asked.

"Piss off" Draco spat.

Scorpion let the rope slip down a foot, jolting Draco back into awareness of his position. It was not a position in which one is normally able to act rude or refuses any civil request. A situation that was very clear on the hierarchy. Scorpion was the boss here, and Draco had to respect that.

"How old are you Draco?" Scorpion asked.

"I'm sixteen, what bloody business of it is yours?" Draco asked.

"So can tell you that it gives you about two years to either come clean and make amends, or embark on your final tour of pleasures in this world" Scorpion leaned in very close when said that.

"And after those two years, if I don't tell you shit, what happens then?" Draco sounded far braver than he was.

"Then I will hunt you down, and I will kill you" Scorpion said.

"What?" Draco went very quiet.

"You allowed them to enter Hogwarts, their entry caused my goddaughter harm, and harm to those she cares about. You have wronged her, and by extension, you have wronged me" Scorpion then removed his mask.

Draco stopped cold. He felt as if he was looking into the face of the angel of death. The fire licked around a bleached skull, the eyes burning like volcanic rocks.

"Few people know the culmination of their life; you are now one of those few. To reiterate, use your remaining two years wisely" Scorpion

He dragged Draco in and threw him to the floor; caring little if the boy injured himself or how he may feel. Scorpion believed he'd made his point clear enough, either he would have his answers at some point or in two years time, Draco Malfoy would be dead.

'I sense the hands of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung in this dirty affair, I think it is high time I called in a marker' Scorpion made his way stealthily down the stairs and out of the school.

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Harry awoke the next day with a warm feeling all the way up his back and headache that felt like Hagrid was jumping on his exposed brain. His robes lay in a pool by the bed, leaving him dressed in a shirt and some light pants. He didn't quite remember what had happened to him last night. Then he saw the sword.

It had fallen out of its sheath a little and the rust coloured stains on its once immaculate blade told the story of what had happened last night. Feeling the bile rising in his throat, Harry leapt out of bed and bolted for the bathroom. His sudden movements shook Tonks awake.

"Harry?" she asked groggily seeing his retreating form.

'Oh hell' she thought and got up to follow him.

Harry had a good head start on his girlfriend and reached the boy's bathroom and flung his head into a toilet and began to throw up. It didn't take him long to empty his stomach and by the time Tonks reached him, he was crying and dry heaving.

"I thought it was just a nightmare" he whispered.

"It was, in a way, but it happened. I think last night you went into a form of shock, and it probably took this long to sink in" she rubbed his back as she spoke.

"I don't know if I can do this, Tonks. I don't know if I have the strength to. I know that we have the power of love, but his hatred of me! And of muggles and half-bloods! He has an army of followers, against what little forces we have..." he sobbed.

"Well, then the answer is simple; we need to get more people on our side" Tonks said.

"But how, if even put a toe out of place the Ministry will lock us all up, and then where will we be?" Harry countered, finally taking his head of the toilet and wiping his mouth with some paper.

"I dunno, but I feel there are big changes headed our way Harry. These new laws, the Enforcers and all of them! Freedom is being eroded for safety and evil is spreading. We are caught in the middle of it, and at some point we have to stand up and be known, or we'll be crushed in between, like a stick held by pincers!" Tonks laid bare what she thought was going to happen.

Harry wasn't sure how to respond to that. Other than agreeing that Tonks was probably right, he was sure he had some more immediate concerns. No doubt the Aurors wanted to speak to him and to Tonks about last night's skirmish. And as for explaining the presence of his sword, that would have to be some very creative thinking.

"Harry, you in here mate?" Ron's voice echoed through the bathroom and brought the pair to Earth.

"In here Ron" Harry answered.

"Hey, uh, hi Tonks" Ron blushed a little seeing Tonks in a tank top.

"Ron, what are you doing here?" Tonks asked.

"Here, I thought perhaps you ought to see this" Ron handed them the Daily Prophet.

_HOGWARTS: NO LONGER A SANCTURY?_

_Last night, as some unfortunate members of the public are aware, there was a planned assault on Hogwarts School by the Death Eaters._

_They attacked in two groups, each targeting a room being used for a recreational dance in the school. The first group were fought off by quick thinking students and teachers._

_The second group struck the older children, disarmed the teachers and began to kill random students until they found their target: Harry Potter._

_Eye witness accounts say that Mr. Potter and an Auror who is not named due to reasons of security, fought them off, resulting in the death of three of the Voldemort's followers, and seriously maimed another._

_Other witnesses claim there were other parties involved also, but no evidence of them has yet been found by Forensic Wizards. The investigation will continue during the week._

_Peace Officer Delores Umbridge offered her comments to the Prophet on the incident: "Well, it was bound to happen eventually, however I wish it didn't have too have caused the death of innocent students. I will be discussing with the minister of magic new security steps for the school, to ensure its safety"._

_Some parents have called for the removal of Harry Potter from Hogwarts, as it was he the Death Eaters specifically targeted upon commencing the attack. Narcissa Malfoy, mother of Hogwarts student Draco Malfoy had this to say: "His presence at that school places all of the other students in jeopardy. I encourage all concerned parents to ask Professor Dumbledore to remove him from Hogwarts"._

"Bloody hell! How did they get all this so quick?" Tonks asked.

"There must have been a leak, this is the early edition" Harry offered.

"Then we need to plug it" Tonks grimaced.

Ron, seeing the state Harry was in, decided to carefully raise the subject of what happened the previous night. So Harry told him, giving an almost minute by minute break down of how the dance had been great and then the Death Eaters arrived and it all seemed to go pear shaped from then on.

"I read here they had a go at you guys too, also says you did really well in taking care of them" Harry noticed.

"Well if Madam Hooch and Sub Zero hadn't had been there, we would have been stuffed" Ron admitted.

"It says here you were quick thinking, and I believe that sole passage if nothing else in this squalid little rag" Harry wished Ron would stop be so down on his own abilities.

"Well, that's the least of our worries. Right now our biggest problem is the Ministry who will no doubt want to speak to you and me, and you Ron about last night. Then there is the case of removing Harry from Hogwarts" Tonks let that one hang in the air.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" he asked.

"How can you say that, this place is like your home" Tonks looked at Harry, rather puzzled.

"Well, if I wasn't here then I could learn privately from HQ, nothing to stop Dumbledore from sending my school work to me. And I could train, with you and Sub Zero and Scorpion" he argued his case.

Ron and Tonks were about to reply when they truly thought about what Harry said. It did make some sense. And although neither wanted to admit it, they had actually considered asking him to do it when they'd first read the comments asking for his removal.

"I'd talk it over with Dumbledore first, Harry. You said yourself we can't do anything rash, so don't be a hypocrite" Tonks warned him.

Harry only nodded and shakily got up and rubbed his face. Slowly he padded over to a sink and began to wash his face and mouth out, wanting to get the taste of vomit out. Tonks shooed Ron away so she could have a private word with Harry before she would have to leave to undoubtedly face more than a few cradle robber jokes and stern looks from the powers that be.

"Harry, there are going to be some tough question asked in the next few days, of both of us. Now everything that's between us is good in the eyes of law, a sterile view but it's the most important weapon we have at the moment" Tonks put her arm around him as she spoke.

"I know, no matter what they say to you, what they think I've said what they'll say I've said. It's untrue"

"Trust only the horse's mouth on this one huh?" Tonks said with a smile.

"Given how I feel right now, horse's arse would be more appropriate. But yeah, I feel something for you Tonks that is just so awesome, I feel I can fly" Harry seemed to fail for words.

Tonks just smiled and ruffled his hair. Harry had ain innate ability to just speak the truth when it seemed most appropriate and in some pretty blunt terms. Moreover, given this was a sixteen year old boy who'd stared into the face of death and come back again, more or less himself, his ability to let others into his heart, especially as close as Tonks got, was more remarkable than any other thing he could do.

"Well, keep your wits about you, never answer in the heat of the moment, Auror interrogation is pretty standard, but no doubt this will be handled by the Enforcers and chin up. Think of me naked and you'll not answer a thing I reckon" the last part she whispered with a very, smoky, smile.

Tonks left the bathroom leaving Harry with a very bizarre look on his face. It was something between fear, arousal, shock and smugness. Much like watching Tonks change her nose, the fleeting emotions over his face became a source of great mirth when Ron came back in.

"Well, what now?" Ron asked.

"I best go and see Dumbledore. I am going to need his help" Harry said.


End file.
